7 Major Coronavirus Developments—March 21, 2020
GoLocalProv News Team
7 Major Coronavirus Developments—March 21, 2020
Governors in California, New York, Illinois, and Connecticut have issued orders to try to combat the spread of coronavirus and decrease the number of cases in upcoming surges. New York Hospitals are already overrun.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"In a startlingly quick ascent, officials reported on Friday that the state was closing in on 8,000 positive tests, about half the cases in the country. The number was 10 times higher than what was reported earlier in the week," reports the New York Times.
"In the Bronx, doctors at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center say they have only a few remaining ventilators for patients who need them to breathe. In Brooklyn, doctors at Kings County Hospital Center say they are so low on supplies that they are reusing masks for up to a week, slathering them with hand sanitizer between shifts," reports the Times.
On Friday, on GoLocal LIVE Dr. Michael Fine again called for Rhode Island's government and healthcare industry to immediately expand the number of ICU beds and ventilators.
Fine said the low number -- less than 200 ICU beds in RI -- is insufficient to meet the upcoming need.
READ 7 Major Coronavirus Developments—March 21, 2020, Below
7 Major Coronavirus Developments—March 21, 2020
Numbers:
54 Cases in RI
413 Cases in MA
19,458 Cases in U.S.
286,798 Cases Globally
0 Deaths in RI
1 Death in MA
263 Deaths in U.S.
11,947 Deaths Globally
Deaths in Italy Spiral
Italian officials announced that there were 627 deaths on Friday.
Soldiers are now being deployed to help enforce the lockdown in Italy.
"Desperate scenes have unfolded in the north of the country, particularly the hard-hit Lombardy region where infections first exploded last month, as hospitals struggle to treat thousands of cases," reports CNN.
Raimondo Deploys the National Guard
On Friday, Governor Gina Raimondo activated the Rhode Island National Guard.
This action will allow 1,000 Guardsmen and Guardswomen to train civilian medical personnel, staff call centers, distribute food and necessities to the most vulnerable and perform a number of other critical functions.
Raimondo Slows Gun Buying
An Executive Order signed by Gina Raimondo on Friday extending the time period from seven days to thirty days for police departments to conduct background checks for concealed weapons and firearms.
The Governor's office says, "Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association expressing concern that the current strain on their resources may impede their ability to process the applications that come in."
England's Cases Increasing
With the number of cases and deaths increasing, the British government is stepping up with monetary policy and closing everything from restaurants and pubs to many types of business.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
The broad package of measures, announced Friday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, marks another escalation in world-wide efforts to fight the disease and pave the way for an eventual economic revival
The salvo by U.K. policy makers is aimed at preventing mass layoffs and supporting workers’ incomes as the coronavirus threat—and an intensifying government squeeze to contain it—shuts down chunks of British business.
Mr. Johnson said as of Friday all bars, pubs, restaurants, cafes, gyms and theaters must shut their doors, an effort to slow the spread of a virus that has infected almost 4,000 in the U.K. and killed 177.
Congress Fails to Move Legislation
Congress failed to pass the trillion-dollar-plus stabilization plan on Friday, further delaying a bailout for key industries and relief to Americans.
At the same time Congress, including Rhode Island's two U.S. Senators, fail to move forward with an investigation to questionable stock activities by four senators. READ MORE HERE
Innovation
From online classes to concerts and now stage performances, individuals and organizations are adapting and transforming.
On Friday, the Wilbury Theatre Group in Providence announced it is bringing a series of performances and theatrical classes to the public online.
The award-winning theater company will begin the programming on Sunday night at 7:00 p.m. on GoLocalProv.com
The entire Rhode Island theater community has been shut down by the coronavirus restrictions.
“Live-streaming is the next frontier for performing arts companies, and we’re excited to make the leap with the group of artists that we’ve assembled. In addition to the incredibly popular drop-in classes by Mycah Hogan and Jen Mischley, this work represents our shared commitment to supporting local artists and the development of new works. We’re glad that with the support of GoLocalProv we’re able to find a new way for these artists to continue to move the development of their work forward," said Josh Short, founder, and artistic director.
