7 Major Coronavirus Developments — Want to Know If a Business Has an Outbreak? — April 27, 2020
GoLocalProv News Team
7 Major Coronavirus Developments — Want to Know If a Business Has an Outbreak? — April 27, 2020
The Rhode Island Department of Health is not going to tell you.
Want to know if the facility you work at has a breakout?
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTNo, that is not public information either, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health.
The Department of Health says that the agency is using contact tracing to identify individuals and those they have come in contact with.
SLIDES: See 7 Major Coronavirus Developments BELOW
How effective that program can be at this stage of the virus is questionable. Dr. Michael Fine, the former Rhode Island Director of Health said on GoLcoal LIVE that contact tracing works best at the initial outbreak and questions how effective it can be when tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders have been exposed.
WATCH AT NOON: Former Director of Health Dr. Michael Fine on GoLocal LIVE
The Department of Health admitted last week in an email to GoLocal that they are using an automated electronic strategy now as "the pool of contacts is growing so large, and because we are looking toward the next phases of the response that are going to be happening in parallel with contact tracing.”
Refusal to Release Names of Clusters
After weeks of repeated requests by GoLocal to release the names of all nursing homes with positive cases, the Health Department was forced to disclose the names of all facilities after a federal directive. When the data was finally disclosed after weeks of refusal, Rhode Islanders learned that the number of facilities impacted were 50% higher than previously disclosed.
The Health Department continues to defend its refusal to report workplaces that have had large clusters of cases.
After being contacted by numerous Rhode Islanders raising questions about workplace exposure and outbreaks, GoLocal has repeatedly sought those work environments with ten or more confirmed cases
“The known contacts of any case of COVID-19 in Rhode Island are being contacted directly by the state. We are connecting with them through our contact tracing program to ensure they have their quarantine and symptoms monitoring guidance, and follow-up is done to check on people’s symptoms. We are also contacting people’s employers so they can ensure that people are being excluded from work and so they can do any broader workforce communication, on top of the direct outreach we are doing to contacts,” said Joseph Wendelken, spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Some facilities have seen massive outbreaks. Two food processing plants in Rhode Island were hit with massive outbreaks and the Department of Health only released information when one hit 100 cases and the other suffered approximately 80 cases.
Last week it was disclosed that the Taylor Farms food processing plant located at Quonset Point had 100 coronavirus cases according to the Department of Health.
“The Rhode Island Department of Health and the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation are working with the facility managers at Taylor Farms New England. There have been approximately 100 COVID-19 cases associated with this facility,” said Wendelken in a statement to GoLocal.
The facility prepares salads.
“[Taylor Farms] has not been closed. Anyone with symptoms is not at work, and all people who have COVID-19 are not at work. The facility is now mandating the use of facemasks for employees, employee temperature checks are being done at the start of every shift, and enhanced symptom screening of employees is being done,” added Wendelken.
The Department of Health only released the name of the other facility when the cases grew to approximately 80 individuals -- thus, hundreds of those individuals' family members were exposed.
"The other is Daniele Inc. is the other food processing facility. They have roughly 80 cases. The owners of this business have been very proactive. Masking of employees, screening for symptoms of all employees, and daily reporting to RIDOH have all been happening," according to Health.
7 Major Coronavirus Developments — April 27, 2020
Brown's President Paxson Writes in NY Times, "College Campuses Must Reopen in the Fall. Here’s How We Do It."
She writes in part:
"Higher education is also important to the U.S. economy. The sector employs about three million people and as recently as the 2017-18 school year pumped more than $600 billion of spending into the national gross domestic product. Colleges and universities are some of the most stable employers in municipalities and states. Our missions of education and research drive innovation, advance technology and support economic development. The spread of education, including college and graduate education, enables upward mobility and is an essential contributor to the upward march of living standards in the United States and around the world."
Ambassador Birx Warns Social Distancing Will Be Here For Months
Ambassador Deborah Birx said during an interview on NBC News’s “Meet the Press” that “social distancing will be with us through the summer to really ensure that we protect one another as we move through these phases.”
Birx, a key member of the White House Task Force on coronavirus, said there is a critical need for further testing that would need to be developed following a scientific “breakthrough.”
Global Stocks Rise
Kids can go for walks in Spain, Italy is poised to lift restrictions, and you can now get a tattoo in Georgia. Now, all of these revelations are triggering a global stock market rally. The markets see this as an indication off the early signs that the economy will begin to open.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
Global stocks rose Monday, with investors anticipating that stimulus measures and the easing of coronavirus-lockdown measures in the U.S. and Europe may help kick-start economic activity.
Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 1%. Last week, the benchmark for U.S. blue-chip stocks posted modest losses, dropping 1.9% after a massive rally from late March to mid-April.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock index ended the day up 2.7%. The Bank of Japan scrapped its target for government-bond purchases and said it would nearly triple its holdings of corporate debt to aid fundraising by companies affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
European markets climbed as countries including Italy and Spain signaled that they may loosen restrictions in the coming weeks. The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 gauge rose 1.7%.
Italy announced a timetable for reopening its economy and restoring daily life beginning on May 4, but warned that a resurgence in cases could lead to a return of restrictions. Spain allowed children to leave their homes after six weeks under one of the strictest lockdowns in the world.
Commerce Corp. Helping Small Biz with PPP
The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation is urging all small businesses who are interested in receiving Payroll Protection Plan funds to immediately contact their bank or, if they do not have a banking relationship, the state agency is set to provide banking resources.
The first round of PPP funds was exhausted in approximately ten days. A second round of funding was approved by Congress last week and is expected to be exhausted within weeks.
"The coronavirus crisis has impacted our small businesses severely. A key source of relief for small businesses is the federal PPP program, which is likely to start up again tomorrow (Monday),” said Stefan Pryor, Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce.
“So we are reminding small businesses to be in touch with your bank or lender immediately. And we are once again urging you to apply through your lender as soon as possible,” said Pryor.
He adds, “If you continue to be unable to find a lender to process your application, we suggest that you contact the RI Commerce team at [email protected]. We are in communication with lenders who will accept applications from small businesses without preexisting lender relationships."
Commerce urges, "Please free to connect with our partners at the Small Business Development Center, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, RI Black Business Association, or United Way for guidance and assistance. If you don't have their contact info, please email us at [email protected] and we will share it with you."
No Coronavirus in New Zealand, Says Prime Minister
New Zealand says it has stopped community transmission of Covid-19, effectively eliminating the virus.
The BBC reports:
With new cases in single figures for several days - one on Sunday - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the virus was "currently" eliminated.
But officials have warned against complacency, saying it does not mean a total end to new coronavirus cases.
The news comes hours before New Zealand is set to move out of its toughest level of social restrictions.
From Tuesday, some non-essential business, healthcare and education activity will be able to resume.
Most people will still be required to remain at home at all times and avoid all social interactions.
Numbers
7,439 Cases in Rhode Island
54,938 Cases in Massachusetts
226 Deaths in RI
2,899 Deaths in Massachusetts
987,322 Cases in the United States
55,415 Deaths in the United States
3,006,232 Global Cases
207,265 Global Deaths
883,238 Global Recoveries
GoLocal LIVE, Monday, April 27, 2020
12:00 PM - Dr. Michael Fine, Former Director of RI Dept. of Health
1:00 PM - Governor Gina Raimondo Press Briefing
EDITOR'S NOTE: Raimondo does not allow Rhode Islanders to hear reporters' questions. Nearly all governors across the country and the White House allow reporters to ask questions directly and for the public to hear the questions and the responses.
