COVID-19 update: 96 positive cases; Congress to consider $1 trillion spending proposal

Connecticut has conducted tests of over 700 people for COVID-19 and found 96 positive cases, with 24 of those people now hospitalized, according to the state”™s COO Josh Geballe at this afternoon”™s daily update.

As previously reported, one person, an 88-year-old Ridgefield resident, became the state”™s first fatality related to the disease earlier today.

A county-by-county breakdown of the total positive cases statewide includes:

• Fairfield County: 69
• Hartford County: 11
• Litchfield County: 5
• Middlesex County: 1
• New Haven County: 10

Gov. Ned Lamont expressed gratitude for the U.S. Senate”™s passage earlier today of a bill that will provide free coronavirus testing and ensures paid emergency leave for those who are infected or caring for a family member with the illness. The bill also provides additional Medicaid funding, food assistance and unemployment benefits.

Lamont also said that the state is due to receive its first shipment from the federal government of much-needed personal protection equipment (PPEs), saying that it is a sign that “we are getting some support from the federal government ”“ but tomorrow is too late.”

On March 11, the Connecticut Department of Public Health submitted its first request for resources from the Strategic National Stockpile. That request was made through the federal Department of Health and Humans Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (HHS/ASPR).

The first shipment is expected to be received in the coming days. The following chart provides a description of what is anticipated in that shipment:

A distribution strategy has been developed through existing channels utilizing the Connecticut National Guard and other partners. The Department of Public Health in collaboration with partner agencies is currently in the process of developing an algorithm to identify the level and urgency of all requests to ensure the PPE supplies we receive are appropriately conserved and allocated. Lamont and state officials are strongly urging providers and users of PPE to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conserve PPE already on hand.

Geballe said that no facilities in the state have run out of PPEs yet, but repeated Lamont”™s call for dentists and other health care practitioners not engaged in life-saving procedures to donate what equipment they can to hospitals.

He further said that there are now 1,200 hospital beds available statewide, and that hospitals are working tirelessly to reconfigure spaces for a potential influx of cases. “There is capacity in the system” for now, he said.

Asked if the state primary will proceed as scheduled on April 28, Lamont replied, “My hunch is it”™ll be delayed.”

The governor further said that he does not anticipate a statewide or nationwide shutdown, as happened in Italy. “I hope we can do it (obey established guidelines for avoiding habits that can lead to more virus incidents) voluntarily ”“ this is America,” he said.

“Look, we can do this,” the governor exhorted. “We are gonna get through this. People wonder what state government does? They know what state government does now.”

State Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona said that “the school year is not canceled,” despite some reports, and that the state is seeking a waiver for standardized assessments, in the belief that students will be underprepared for those rigors after such a long absence.

Earlier in the day, Lamont, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced that indoor portions of large retail shopping malls, amusement parks, and bowling alleys in the four states will close by 8 p.m. on  March 19.

The move is an expansion of the orders that Lamont, Cuomo and Murphy issued Monday. That order ”“ which Pennsylvania has also adopted ”“ limits crowd capacity for social and recreational gatherings to 50 people. The governors also announced restaurants and bars would close for on-premise service and move to take-out and delivery services only. The governors also temporarily closed movie theaters, gyms and casinos.

At Monday”™s announcement, the three governors said they were in talks with Wolf to join their coalition, and that they were in discussions with leaders in Massachusetts and Rhode Island as well.

Lamont and DECD Commissioner David Lehman will hold a conference call at 1 p.m. tomorrow to provide additional details on how the state is responding to the crisis.

Additional state moves
In addition to those measures, Lamont”™s Executive Order No. 7F enacts the following provisions:

• Expansion of Medicaid telehealth coverage to audio-only telephone: The order modifies state statutes in order to allow Medicaid to cover audio-only telehealth services.
• Waiver of in-person service, hearing, and screening requirements for facilities that have issued orders limiting visitor access to protect the public health: The order modifies state statutes in order to provide flexibility for critical legal functions regarding conservators and competency hearings to ensure the safety of nursing home patients.
• Continuation of classes and programming at certain state-operated schools: The order exempts Connecticut Unified School District 1, which operates schools inside Department of Correction facilities, Unified School District 2, which operates schools inside Department of Children and Families facilities and institutions, and Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services inpatient facilities from the previously issued statewide school cancellation order.

Early release of certain state aid to municipalities
To provide towns and cities with some financial assistance during this emergency period, Lamont today ordered the Office of Policy and Management to release to all municipalities in the state the second of three annual payments from the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund in advance of the statutory payment date.

The FY2020 state budget appropriated $51,472,796 for this fund, and the related statutory provisions regarding the grants to municipalities requires them to be distributed in three separate payments throughout the year ”“ by January 1, April 1, and June 30. The second payment ”“ due in April ”“ totals $17,157,596.35. Municipalities should anticipate receiving this payment no later than Monday, March 23.

Department of Labor closes main office and American Job Centers to in-person visits, encourage use of online and phone services
The Connecticut Department of Labor has closed its main office in Wethersfield and all of the American Jobs Centers throughout the state to in-person visits from the general public effective immediately. The agency is encouraging people to utilize their online services, which can be found by visiting its website at www.ctdol.state.ct.us.

The department has been processing nearly 20 times their normal daily amount of unemployment insurance claims (around 10,000 per day, as opposed to about 500 per day).

DEEP requests PURA take emergency orders to protect utility rate payers
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has petitioned the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to investigate and address several issues to help protect Connecticut residents and businesses during and after the public health and civil preparedness emergencies. Among other things, the petition asks PURA to:

• Issue emergency orders applying PURA’s existing temporary moratorium on residential utility service disconnections to all customer classes for regulated utility customers and suspending late fees and other penalties on delinquent customers;
• Issue emergency orders waiving fees and deposits to enable the streamlined connection of regulated electric, gas and water utility customers who are currently without utility services, including those who were disconnected prior to the moratorium;
• Issue emergency orders related to outreach to small and midsize businesses and non-profit organizations in financial distress to establish bill payment arrangements and requiring the provision of payment plans to all customer classes;
• Accelerate consideration of methods to streamline income-eligible residential customer applications to access affordability/rate relief programs; and
• Accelerate consideration of expanding existing program eligibility requirements and limits for various affordability programs and explore potential new programs to assist customers of all rate classes to fill identified gaps.

For more info on the actions DEEP is requesting, click here.

Department of Agriculture affirms farmers markets and farmstands can remain open
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture delivered communications this morning affirming that farmers”™ markets and farm stands in Connecticut can remain open during the civic preparedness and public health emergency. These entities are not covered by the executive order on restaurants the governor issued earlier this week.

A number of farm stands and farmers”™ markets have already integrated online or order-ahead options with home delivery or curbside pickup. The agency is working with producers to compile an updated listing of farmers”™ markets and farm stands on www.ctgrown.gov, which will be modified as new information is available.

Farm and retail staff are reminded to implement social distancing and limit customer interactions. Farm stores and farmers”™ market managers are encouraged to reinforce the importance of washing hands, sanitizing surfaces frequently, and not working when sick. Additional guidance for farmers to practice safe food production.is available at www.ctgrown.gov.

Growers interested in assisting their local communities are encouraged to connect directly with FoodShare (www.foodshare.org) or Connecticut Food Bank (www.ctfoodbank.org)

Coalition of outdoor advertisers donate electronic billboards to spread awareness
Through a partnership organized with Lamont, the Outdoor Advertising Association of Connecticut is donating 42 electronic billboards and 2 static billboards at locations statewide with messages that will help spread awareness to the general public about COVID-19. The coalition, which consists of Lamar Outdoor Advertising (25 locations), Outfront Media (15 locations), and Barrett Outdoor Communications (2 digital and 2 static locations), launched the billboards on Tuesday night.

D.C. Developments
In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Senate voted to approve the aforementioned second coronavirus aid bill, with a third proposal that could include direct payments to Americans potentially on the way.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed by a 90-8 vote, and President Donald Trump is expected to sign it into law.

Last week, the Senate approved a $8.3 billion House-passed measure that focused on vaccine research and development.

Senate Republicans are now considering a $1 trillion spending proposal from the White House that would include $500 billion in direct payments to Americans. Indications are that that bill will be introduced early next week.

At today”™s D.C. briefing, White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said the U.S. will have more coronavirus diagnoses than Italy in the next four or five days, but stressed that is no cause for alarm.

Birx said the anticipated spike in diagnosis numbers will be the result of a week”™s worth of testing being conducted in just 24 to 48 hours. “I know some of you will use that to ”˜raise the alarm”™ that the U.S. is becoming Italy because (of) the slope of our curve,” she said.

As of 12:30 p.m., the U.S. had confirmed 7,636 coronavirus diagnoses, with 117 deaths. Italy had 31,506 coronavirus cases, with 2,503 deaths.

Birx also warned that, “There are concerning reports coming out of France and Italy about young people getting very seriously ill.” Part of that may be due to a relaxation of vigilance in the wake of declining coronavirus cases in China and South Korea, along with the much-reported news that older people and those with some pre-existing conditions are more susceptible to the virus, she said.

At the same briefing, Trump said he is invoking the Defense Production Act, which will allow the federal government to speed up production of masks, respirators, ventilators and other needed equipment.

“We’re going to defeat the invisible enemy,” Trump said, adding that the crisis has essentially made him a “war-time president.”

The U.S. and Canadian governments have agreed to close their border to nonessential travel. Trump said he expects to invoke another law that will allow U.S. authorities to refuse entry to migrants seeking to cross the Mexican border of the United States illegally. The border will not be closed, he said.

Trump rejected a reporter”™s question as to whether his repeated references to COVID-19 as “the Chinese virus” is racist.

“It”™s not racist, not at all. It comes from China,” he explained.

Although Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin sent alarm bells ringing at yesterday”™s briefing by saying that a 20% unemployment rate could be in the making, Trump said he did not share that belief.

“That”™s an absolute total worst-case scenario,” Trump said. “We’re nowhere near it.”

Trump further said his administration is “suspending all foreclosures and evictions until the end of April” to help those affected by the virus.

In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is being activated in all regions of the country to aid in the coronavirus response. Two Navy hospital ships are also being deployed to California and New York as cases rise in those states.

“Very important news” from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concerning the virus will be announced later today or tomorrow, Trump said.

He also confirmed that the federal government is considering sending checks to most Americans to help stimulate the economy and aid workers losing jobs. While reports have said each check would be in the amount of $1,000, with another $1,000 possibly to follow, Trump said the amount is “to be determined.”

“We are looking at different numbers,” he said. “We are looking at timing that would be different. Splitting the time, splitting the payments. We are looking at a lot of different things. It hasn’t been determined yet but it will surely be determined.”

Murphy ups the ante
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy called for a wide-ranging relief package that would include $2,000 for every adult and child.

In addition, the Connecticut Democrat proposed:

• A 15% increase in benefits to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and a suspension of work requirements for up to 14 months
• An increase in funding to make sure food banks are stocked with the necessary food and supplies
• Addressing homelessness through payments to workers, instituting medical safety protocols, and meeting emerging needs
• Providing necessary funding to hospitals to make sure they have the resources to handle a surge in capacity, including low-cost SBA loans for renovations or alterations to existing space.
• Ensuring individuals impacted by the coronavirus who are unable to work due to quarantine aren”™t evicted from their homes
• Delaying mortgage payments for this month and waiving the late payments as they relate to COVID-19
• Supporting Connecticut”™s Medicaid programs by delaying scheduled cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments and preventing an administration proposed rule that limits states”™ ability to finance their Medicaid program
• Instituting $1.2 billion in mandatory funding for colleges so they can help students pay for the unexpected costs of college closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak, including food, housing, health care, and child care needs.

“This is a minute-by-minute crisis for families in Connecticut, and Congress needs to get real help down to families, hospitals, businesses, and feeding centers right now,” said Murphy. “Our first priority has to be stopping the virus. No economic stimulus will save the economy if the virus continues to spread. That’s why I’m proposing massive assistance to hospitals that are expanding testing and bed capacity to meet the surge in demand. And President Trump has to stop downplaying the seriousness of the epidemic and solve the testing crisis.”