corona update Archives

Coronavirus Update: Week 7

The coronavirus crisis continued in our country this week, but the focus of many people’s attention was the battle over when to reopen states and businesses. The federal stay-at-home order expired at the end of April, and reopening decisions are now in the hands of each state’s governor. This has caused friction between some state’s governors and local officials. Battles also continued between Trump and the CDC this week, as the number of cases of the illness continued to rise. New research was also revealed this week which shows that the virus can linger in the air longer than previously thought. The virus has also been linked to a life-threatening inflammatory syndrome in children.

Multiple Models

As of May 14, the number of deaths from the coronavirus has reached 85,388. There are currently multiple models projecting how quickly the number of cases and deaths will continue to rise. The government model predicts that the number of deaths will top 130,000 by August, but they are still hopeful that the number of infections will begin to go down. Another model provided by healthdata.org, on the other hand, predicts that the rate of infection and death will drop everyday for the next couple of months.

Wisconsin’s Supreme Court Blocks Governor’s Extension

The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Governor Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order this week. The governor had extended the stay-at-home order until May 26, but the court ruled the order “unlawful” and “unenforceable.”

The lawsuit was filed by the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature against Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm and other health officials, who had recently extended the state’s “Safer-at-Home” emergency order. Even though the state had extended their stay-at-home order, they also loosened some restrictions on certain businesses, including golf courses, public libraries and arts and crafts stores.

Some Pennsylvania Counties Beginning To Mutiny Against Governor’s Orders

people in a crowd with signs with one in particular that says "no!" — *Many counties in PA have created a mutiny against the governor to move to the yellow phase and open up businesses.*

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf presented a plan for reopening his state on a county-by-county basis, and some central Pennsylvanian elected officials were not happy that they weren’t in the “yellow phase” of cautious reopening. On Governor Wolf’s color-coded map, those counties that remain in the “red phase” are not to reopen until June 4.

On Friday, May 8th, York County District Attorney Dave Sunday announced that his office “will not prosecute any criminal citations for alleged violations of the [Governor and Secretary’s] orders and regulations… concerning the operation of non-life-sustaining businesses.”

Lancaster County sent a letter to the governor asking to be moved into the yellow phase, which allows for the opening of businesses. Lebanon County took things a step further, telling Governor Wolf that they will enter the yellow phase and begin opening businesses on May 15 with or without his approval. Other counties have also expressed their disapproval of the Governor’s plans and have requested that Wolf move them to the yellow phase, citing a decrease in the number of infections in their areas.

NYC Mayor Says They Need Federal Stimulus

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has made it clear that the city will need a federal stimulus in order to get back on its feet. “Think where this is going,” he said during an interview on CNN. “If our federal government doesn’t step in and fill that gap and help cities and states back on their feet there won’t be a recovery.”

The mayor does not plan on reopening the city without extreme caution. “We’re taking a very conservative approach here in New York. We’re the epicenter,” de Blasio said. “We are not going to reopen anything until we prove by real data that we’ve made enough progress to do it safely, and then we’re going to do it in small, careful steps and smart steps.”

$Caucasian boy with a mask on writing on the blackboard.$ Trump Pushes To Reopen Schools

On Wednesday, May 13, President Trump pushed to reopen the country’s schools, despite Dr. Anthony S. Fauci’s testimony urging that schools stay closed through the fall. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was asked about the risk/benefit ratio of sending kids back to school versus having them miss out on education. Fauci said, “It’s obviously very difficult … [there are] unintended consequences of trying to do something that broadly is important for the public health and [there is a] risk of having a return or a resurgence of an outbreak and…unintended deleterious consequences of having children at a school.” He continued, “I don’t have a good explanation or solution for the problem of what happens when you close schools and it triggers a cascade of events.”

Trump reacted, stating “He wants to play all sides of the equation. I was surprised by this answer actually because you know, it’s just to me it’s not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to school.” He then continued to say “we will reopen the country. People want it open. The schools are going to be open.”

Coronavirus Could Remain In Air For Longer than Thought

A new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the University of Pennsylvania found that talking loudly for one minute in a confined space could produce about 1,000 speech droplets containing Covid-19 particles. They further found that the droplets could remain in the air for more than 8 minutes, which is enough time for someone to inhale them and get infected with the virus.

Study Suggests Rare Illness Affecting Children Is Related To Covid-19

There has been a rise in cases of a life-threatening inflammatory syndrome that is affecting children. The condition is called pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome and it appears to be connected to the coronavirus. It has been seen in at least 100 children, mainly in NY.

“This multi-system inflammatory syndrome is not directly caused by the virus,” Burns told CNN. “The leading hypothesis is that it is due to the immune response of the patient.”

This syndrome is dangerous because it can cause poor functioning in organs such as the heart or kidneys. Symptoms to look for include fever, inflammation, red eyes, a bright red tongue, and cracked lips.

Coronavirus Update: Week 3

As of April 14, total global deaths from Coronavirus have surpassed 100,000, with the U.S. accounting for about 31,000. Also on April 14, President Trump decided to halt funding to the World Health Organization (WHO), claiming that they mismanaged the response to the coronavirus, and that they covered up information about its spread. At the same time, scientists, physicians, funders and drug manufacturers from around the world have pledged to collaborate with the WHO to help find a vaccine against COVID-19. The U.S. economy continues to suffer, with unemployment claims climbing to 22 million and one-time stimulus checks being issued to help Americans. Trump, meanwhile, is hopeful that some business will be able to reopen sooner than May 1.

Coronavirus & The Brain

There is now some evidence that COVID-19 may not only affect the respiratory system, but also the brain. Doctors at Mount Sinai hospital in New York have noticed a spike in the number of strokes suffered by coronavirus patients. There were around 45 strokes in a 4 week period, which is nearly triple the normal number. Half of these patients had coronavirus, and were on average 12 years younger than typical stroke victims. Some coronavirus patients are now receiving blood thinners. A limited study of COVID-19 patients in China also found that more than a third suffered from neurological symptoms, including loss of taste and smell, dizziness, headaches, and strokes.

Trump Halts Funding To WHO

On Tuesday, April 14, Trump announced that he was halting funding to the WHO due to what he claims was mismanagement of the coronavirus. The U.S. provides $400 million-$500 million in funding to the WHO each year.

“Had the WHO done its job to get medical experts into China to objectively assess the situation on the ground and to call out China’s lack of transparency, the outbreak could have been contained at its source with very little death,” Trump said.

Reopening America

The US Captiol building. — *Trump told the nation’s governors that they could begin reopening businesses by May 1 or earlier.*

The Paycheck Protection Program, a federal loan program that was created to help small businesses keep workers on their payrolls during the pandemic, has run out of money. $349 billion had been allocated for the program, but that money quickly ran out, leaving millions of businesses unable to even apply for the loans.

Instead of announcing plans to reup the funding for the loans, President Trump revealed federal guidelines on Thursday, April 16, to restart the economy by “reopening” the U.S. Under his three phase “Opening Up America Again” plan, states would not begin to relax stay at home orders until they had 14 consecutive days of decreases in coronavirus cases. He told the nation’s governors that they could begin reopening businesses by May 1 or earlier.

“Some states will open sooner than others,” Trump said. “Some states are not in the kind of trouble that others are in. Now that we have passed the peak in new cases, we’re starting our life again. We’re starting rejuvenation of our economy again in a safe and structured and very responsible fashion.”

Ideas To Make The Most Of Your Stimulus Check

Caucasian hand holding a pen on an open checkbook. — *The stimulus check will be a one-time payment, and can be incorporated into your budget in multiple ways.*

This week people have started receiving their stimulus checks, which are valued at $1,200 or more, depending on family size. This check will be a one-time payment to help ease financial burdens during the pandemic, and can be incorporated into your budget in multiple ways.

For the millions of Americans who have lost their job, this check can help pay some of their bills. If you are one of these Americans and are able to get a bill deferment for a couple of months, then the money will help families buy groceries and other necessities in the interim.

For people who are financially secure, they may be in the position to use the funds towards their savings, a child’s education, or retirement. If you still have a job, or are financially secure, then you should consider using the money to pay off debts such as credit cards and student loans. If you are well off, then consider donating to those in need. You can do this by donating to a charity, a local food bank, or the CDC to help find a cure for the disease.

Coronavirus Update: Week 2

According to the CDC, as of April 8, 48 U.S. states and 1 U.S. territory have reported some community spread of the coronavirus. Of these states, New York has the most confirmed cases and has seen 779 deaths in the state in one 24 hour period, the highest one-day total so far. With social distancing and stay at home orders being put into effect, there is still hope of the curve of infection flattening. However, researchers project this week and next week to see the peak of COVID-19 infections.

White sign with black letters that say "coming soon" in the middle — *Trump said he would like to reopen the U.S. economy soon.*

Trump Says U.S. Could Reopen Soon

On Wednesday, April 8, President Trump said he would like to reopen the U.S. economy, but only once the death rate begins to slow. There is not an official timeline for when businesses will begin to reopen, but his chief economic adviser has said that it could happen in 4-8 weeks.

CDC Issues New Return-To-Work Guidelines

The CDC has now said that essential workers who have been exposed to people infected with Coronavirus can go back to work as long as they don’t feel sick. However, because it is possible to be asymptomatic and still spread the virus, the CDC director, Dr. Robert Redfield, has issued the following workplace guidelines to protect all essential workers and the people they come in contact with:

Employees must take their temperature before heading to work.
Face masks must be worn at all times.
Practice social distancing as much as possible, don’t overcrowd break rooms, etc.
Avoid sharing headsets and other equipment that touches the face.

If employees develop any symptoms, then employers should send them home immediately. Dr. Redfield also notes that companies should increase air exchange in their buildings, as well as regularly clean and disinfect surfaces.

WHO Lists 2 Tests For Emergency Use

In order to help increase access to quality-assured, accurate tests for COVID-19, the WHO has listed 2 tests for emergency use during the pandemic. The two tests are genesig Real-Time PCR Coronavirus (COVID-19) and cobas SARS-CoV-2 Qualitative assay for use on the cobas® 6800/8800 Systems.

“The emergency use listing of these products will enable countries to increase testing with quality assured diagnostics,” says Dr Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant-Director General for Medicines and Health Products. “Facilitating access to accurate tests is essential for countries to address the pandemic with the best tools possible.” There is no word yet on the availability of these tests in the U.S.

WHO, Lady Gaga & Global Citizen To Host Global Concert

International advocacy organization Global Citizen and the World Health Organization (WHO) have announced that they will host a globally televised concert, One World: Together At Home. The global concert is set to air on Saturday April 18, 2020 to celebrate and support healthcare workers, help unify people during the pandemic, and raise funds to fight the pandemic.

According to the WHO’s website, along with Lady Gaga, the broadcast is set to include Alanis Morissette, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Chris Martin, David Beckham, Elton John, Idris and Sabrina Elba, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Kerry Washington, Lizzo, Paul McCartney, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shah Rukh Khan, Stevie Wonder, and many more artists and celebrities.

Coronavirus Update: Week 1

As everyone is now aware, we are currently in the middle of a global pandemic. This week, Italy recorded its lowest death toll since the beginning of the outbreak, but other countries, including the U.S., cannot say the same. Coronavirus cases in the U.S. have now surpassed those of China and Italy, leaving the U.S. as the global leader in cases. As of April 1, the current total number of cases in the U.S. was 186,101, with 3,603 deaths.

face mask on top of 100 dollar bills. — *Health insurance providers Cigna and Humana have waived cost-sharing fees for treatment of and testing for the coronavirus.*

The spread shows no signs of slowing down, with some reports indicating that the number of cases is doubling every two days. New measures are being taken to help slow the spread of the virus, to ensure more Americans are receiving healthcare, and to boost the economy.

Cost-Sharing Fees Waived

Health insurance providers Cigna and Humana have waived cost-sharing fees for treatment of and testing for the coronavirus. Patients will not have to pay any deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. Aetna has also signed on to some of this arrangement, but will only waive cost sharing for inpatient hospital admissions related to the virus.

New Telehealth Guidelines

Under the president’s 1135 waiver authority and the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations (CARES) Act, telehealth services have been expanded. The expansion is considered temporary and is on an emergency basis. Services and costs will be covered in order to prevent people making unnecessary trips to the doctors’ office. Medicare will also cover these services for their beneficiaries so that they will be able to speak to their doctor from the safety of their own homes.

Job Loss & Stimulus Checks

With many states issuing “stay at home” orders, many businesses that are considered nonessential have been forced to close and Americans have been losing their jobs at record rates. The number of jobless claims, currently 3.3 million, continues to rise, marking the largest unemployment rate jump in U.S. history. To help with this situation President Trump has signed a $2 trillion bipartisan economic stimulus bill. The bill includes $1,200 government checks for individuals making under $75,000 a year, and an expansion of unemployment insurance.

Malaria Drug Trials

Box filled with pills in cases — *The malaria drug hydroxychloroquine showed promise in fighting coronavirus in a small trial of patients.*

The malaria drug hydroxychloroquine showed promise in fighting coronavirus in a small trial of patients in a Chinese study. Those who received the drug experienced a quicker spike in their fevers and coughs than those without the treatment. This faster spike meant that the patients experienced shorter periods with coughs and fevers, suggesting that the drug can help speed recovery time. The FDA has issued an emergency authorization for experimental treatments of this drug. Hydroxychloroquine will be “distributed and prescribed by doctors to hospitalized teen and adult patients with COVID-19, as appropriate, when a clinical trial is not available or feasible,” HHS said. The FDA has allowed New York to begin using the drugs to treat seriously ill patients as part of an “observational” trial.

Tag: corona update