7 Major Coronavirus Developments—March 20, 2020

40 Million Locked Down in California

California ordered its 40 million residents to stay at home except for essential activities beginning Thursday night.

The order states, "The California State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health is ordering all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed to maintain continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors, critical government services, schools, childcare, and construction, including housing construction."

It is the largest lockdown in the U.S., as the nation’s total coronavirus cases rose to more than 14,000.

Numbers

44 Cases in Rhode Island

328 Cases in Massachusetts

14,138 Cases in the United States

251,041 Cases Globally

206 Deaths in the United States

10,499 Deaths Globally

Wall Street Futures Looking Positive on Friday

The S&P 500 is looking to open up 2% on Friday.

"Stocks rose and the U.S. dollar weakened against other currencies Friday, offering global markets a reprieve at the end of a week of tumultuous trading.

Futures tied to the S&P 500 advanced 2.8%, suggesting the benchmark U.S. equity index may rise for a second day. The pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 gauge rallied 3.7%, led higher by shares in oil-and-gas companies, which were buoyed by rising energy prices," reports the Wall Street Journal.

Innovation

There are efforts across Rhode Island to connect digitally -- and to support one another. 

There are concerts by musicians and now plays.

Join GoLocal Sunday Night for a LIVE Performance

This Sunday, March 22 at 7 p.m., enjoy a performance by The Wilbury Theatre Group streamed LIVE on GoLocal.

The production is "Invoice for Emotional Labor" by Christopher Johnson.

The staged-reading of this new work-in-development is the upcoming multi-discipline solo performance that answers the asked -- and not so obvious unasked questions -- about race and racism from the perspective of poet and 2018 McColl Johnson finalist and RISCA Playwright fellow Johnson.

Number One Global Concern is Rhode Island's Top Concern

Will hospitals and frontline healthcare workers have enough ICU units, ventilators and basic equipment? 

Dr. Michael Fine, the former RI Director of the Health, this week identified it as the most critical issue facing Rhode Island. 

Governor Raimondo on Thursday put a call out for equipment. 

One RI Distiller Switches to Manufacturing Hand Sanitizer

The Industrious Spirits Company (ISCO). Providence’s first distillery since prohibition, is using a byproduct of the production of its structural vodka to create alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Using the World Health Organization (WHO) recipe they are able to develop small batches, which they are giving away to anyone who stops by their 'Wish We Could Window' while supplies last, announced the company on Friday.

“We want to do our part in helping the community during these challenging times,” said distiller Dan Neff of The Industrious Spirit Company. “Across the country we are seeing distilleries produce high-alcohol based sanitizer and know this is a way we can give back. With the small volume we currently produce we expect it to go quickly, but will keep making it as long as we have the ingredients to do so. We encourage social distancing when coming by to pick up a bottle and apologize in advance if our supplies cannot keep up.”

Stay up to date by following us on Instagram #iscospirits. We are located at 1 Sims Avenue, #103, Providence, RI 02909. 

Schools Are Out, May Not Return

More and more states and school districts across the country are announcing a shift to online learning for the remainder of the school year.

In Rhode Island, parents have only been alerted that schools are closed for the next two weeks.