NCR Watch Desk: Situational Analysis Report (COVID-19 #140

NCR Watch Desk: Situational Analysis Report (COVID-19 #140)

 

Current Situation Overview

There are 43,747 COVID-19 cases (an increase of 354 since the last SITREP) and 1,824 related deaths (no change since the last SITREP) in the National Capital Region (NCR). 

National

President Donald Trump announced efforts to restructure the Strategic National Stockpile. Additionally, the President signed an executive order to build up the strategic stockpiles and reduce dependency on foreign supplies.

The White House

Vice President Mike Pence announced five new individuals have been added to the White House COVID-19 Task Force. The individuals are: Sonny Perdue, the Secretary of Agriculture; Gene Scalia, the Secretary of Labor, Dr. Francis Collins, the Director of the National Institute of Health, Dr. Peter Marks, the Federal Drug Administration the Director of the Center for Biological Evaluation and Research, and Thomas Engles, the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration. The White House

Maryland

Update: Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich signed an Executive Order continuing the County’s Stay at Home order until COVID-19 data shows it is safe to move towards reopening. The order, which is now in effect, keeps in place the current restrictions and permitted activities that were in place during the State’s Stay at Home order.

Montgomery County

NCR Stay at Home Orders and Reopening Information

 

Jurisdiction	Order in Place	Effective Dates	Details
District of Columbia	Stay at Home	Through 6/8	Press Release
State of Maryland	Phase 1 Reopening	Beginning 5/15 5PM	Press Release
Charles County	Stay at Home	Through 5/29	Press Release
Frederick County	Stay at Home, with exceptions*	Will reevaluate on 5/28	Press Release
Montgomery County	Stay at Home	5/15 - TBD	EO 067-20
Prince George’s County	Stay at Home	Through 6/1	Press Release
Commonwealth of Virginia	Phase 1 Reopening	Beginning 5/15	EO 61
Arlington County	Stay at Home	Through 5/28	EO 62
City of Alexandria	Stay at Home	Through 5/28	EO 62
Fairfax Health District	Stay at Home	Through 5/28	EO 62
Loudoun County	Stay at Home	Through 5/28	EO 62
Prince William Health District	Stay at Home	Through 5/28	EO 62

*Frederick County will allow curbside pickup at retail establishments of any size; manufacturing; reopening of small retail businesses (10,000 square feet or less) under State and County guidelines; and reopening of car washes, animal adoption and pet grooming facilities.

Confirmed Cases and Fatalities Reported in the NCR

Jurisdiction	Cases	Fatalities	Jurisdiction	Cases	Fatalities
Virginia (NCR)	15,685	506	District of Columbia	6,871	368
·   Arlington County	1,534	71	Maryland (NCR)	21,191	950
·   City of Alexandria	1,396	32	·   Montgomery County	7,759	411
·   Fairfax Health District	7,251	280	·   Prince George’s County	11,175	393
·   Loudoun County	1,374	48	·   Charles County	829	59
·   Prince William Health District	4,130	75	·   Frederick County	1,428	87
			TOTAL	43,747	1,824

May 16, 5:00 AM (0500): District of Columbia data is sourced from DC Department of Health. Maryland data is sourced from Maryland Department of Health (MDH), Prince George’s County Health Department (cases only), and Frederick County Health Department (cases and fatalities). Virginia data is sourced from Virginia Department of Health (VDH). Note: VDH, and MDH total case numbers combines positive tests (Confirmed) and symptomatic (Probable) into a single case count.

National Capital Region (NCR) Community Lifelines

Healthcare and Public Health

·         District of Columbia

o   Office of the Attorney General (OAG) released the “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Consumer Complaint Report” about problems District consumers are experiencing during the ongoing state of emergency. The report provides a snapshot and analysis of the 634 consumer complaints received by OAG’s Office of Consumer Protection from March 11 to May 11, more than double the number received in January and February. The report also highlights that District consumers complained most about billing and cancellation issues and that health clubs and spas were the most complained about industry. OAG

o   The Department of Human Services has stood up an additional Pandemic Emergency Program for Highly Vulnerable (PEP-V) site. The site is functional and prepared for intake. DC COVID-19 Daily Report (May 14)

o   On May 13, testing at United Medical Center (UMC) was extended to support screening of staff at Saint Elizabeth’s. Five hundred thirty-five individuals were tested. DC COVID-19 Daily Report (May 14)

o   On May 14, three hundred forty-two individuals were tested at University of the District of Columbia (UDC), a new record for the site. DC COVID-19 Daily Report (May 14)

·         Maryland

o   Multi-disciplined bridge teams for Maryland nursing homes and assisted living facilities continue to deliver 1,500-1,700 test kits per day. The goal is to deliver 3,000 test kits a day across the nursing home community. FEMA Region III (May 15)

·         Virginia

o   On May 18 at 3:00 PM (1500), Formed Families Forward, a nonprofit organization, will present a webinar “Pandemic Parenting: Brain Science, Help, and Hope”. The session offers first-hand perspectives on why the COVID-19 reality is challenging for parents and caregivers, and what can be done to promote resilient responses. City of Alexandria

Education

·         Virginia

o   On May 20, the Alexandria Public Schools (APS) 2020-21 Kindergarten Registration will begin. Due to the Stay at Home order, the registration will take place online. APS

o   Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will continue distance learning for students during the summer along with targeted intervention services. FCPS will provide an Extended School Year (ESY) to students, grades PreK-12, whose Individualized Education Program team determines that the student qualifies for ESY due to significant regression and lack of recoupment of skills that were gained during the regular school year prior to the shutdown. This summer, ESY services will be provided virtually to students from June 29 through July 24. FCPS

Communications

·         Maryland

o   Update: Wi-Fi services have been added at Linganore High and Urbana High parking lot in Frederick County, bringing the total to 29 schools offering outdoor Wi-Fi. Frederick County

Finance

• District of Columbia

o   The DC Department of Housing and Community Development will make up to $800,000 available for small businesses in Wards 7 and 8. The program will provide each business up to $10,000. Applications will open May 20 and close May 29. DC Situational Update May 15

• Virginia

o   The nonprofit Virginia 30 Day Fund provides forgivable loans for Virginia-based small businesses. The loan is intended to provide immediate financial assistance to meet payroll, preserve healthcare coverage for employees, and save jobs. Virginia 30 Day Fund

Food, Water, and Shelter

·         Maryland

o   Today at 11:00 AM (1100), Kingdom Fellowship Sponsors will host grab-and-go meals while supplies last at East County Community Recreation Center at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way in Silver Spring. Montgomery County

o   Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) are closed for Memorial Day and will not distribute meals on May 25. Meals will be distributed from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM (1100-1300) on May 22 and 25. Frederick County

Safety & Security

·         Virginia

o   On May 18, the Loudoun County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court and General District Court will resume hearing non-emergency matters in person. Before entering the courthouse, all members of the public, as well as employees, will be assessed for possible COVID-19 risk and screened for elevated temperature.

§  Cloth face coverings will also be required for admittance to the courthouse. Visitors who wish to bring their own face covering may do so; if a visitor does not have a face covering, one will be provided before admittance.

§  These protocols apply to both entrances of the courthouse: The Market Street public entrance and the King Street attorney and staff entrance. Loudoun County

o   Today from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (0830-1700), is the last day Loudoun County residents can vote absentee in person. Residents are to visit the Office of Elections and Voter Registration (750 Miller Dr. Suite C) in Leesburg. Loudoun County

Communications

·         Maryland

o   Prince George’s County Office of Information Technology issued a cybersecurity alert regarding email phishing attempts targeting county government employees. Prince George’s County COVID-19 SITREP (May 15)

Transportation

·         Virginia

o   Effective May 18, face coverings or masks will be required on all Alexandria Transit Company (DASH) buses. The measure will help protect DASH employees and passengers from contracting the COVID-19 virus and is consistent with the actions of the agency’s regional transit partners, including WMATA, Frederick Transit, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County Transit. This precaution will remain in effect until further notice. DASH

o   Effective May 18, all passengers on Fairfax County Connector buses will be required to wear face coverings to protect bus operators and riders. Fairfax County

National

·         Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

o   TSA announced that pre-moistened wipes are now allowed in carry-on bags without size restrictions or packing requirements; moisten wipes do not need to be packed with travel sized liquids.

§  Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) only wear TSA-issued gloves during the screening process, inspect them regularly, replace them as necessary, and will use a new pair of gloves upon a passenger’s request. TSA

·         Department of Agriculture (USDA)

o   The USDA has extended waivers to August 31 for three nationwide child nutrition programs: Congregate Feeding, Parent Pickup, and Meal Times. ESF-6 (May 15)

·         National Business Emergency Operation Center (NBEOC)

o   Trucking tender volumes have risen 5.4 % since last week and more than 15% since April.

§  Trucking carriers continue to accept as many contracted loads as possible to keep utilization high and trucks in the market; capacity remains low and will likely continue until more states and freight intensive industry reopen and volumes increase. NBEOC (May 15)

o   The Bureau of Labor Statistics cited a 2.6% rise in food at home consumer prices for April. This was the largest one month increase since 1974. Food prices for staple items like meats, poultry, fish, eggs, cereal, and baked goods increased at least 1.5% in March. NBEOC (May 15)

o   National pork processing capacity is currently at 24% (510,000 hogs per day), which adds 120,000 hogs to the overstock amount each day that will need to be euthanized. NBEOC (May 15)

·         Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

o   Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is developing two products for schools K-12 regarding the use of distance learning and video conferencing tools. DHS NOC (May 14)

·         Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

o   On May 12, the VA launched the COVID Coach app, a new mobile app designed to help both Veterans and civilians cope with feelings of stress and anxiety they may be experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. VA

·         UnitedHealth Group

o   UnitedHealth Group and Microsoft Corporation have launched ProtectWell, a return-to-workplace protocol and application (app) that provides employers a tool to bring employees back to work in a safer environment. UnitedHealth Group

·         National Institutes of Health

o   The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH, has begun a clinical trial to evaluate whether the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, given together with the antibiotic azithromycin, can prevent hospitalization and death from COVID-19. NIH\

Additional Information

Distribution: Sent by NCR Watch Desk to CAO/HSEC, RESF 1all, RESF 4all, RESF 5all, RESF 8all, RESF 13all, RESF 15, NCROps, via MWCOG RICCS

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Do not distribute this information beyond Trusted Agents. This message is used for internal regional Situational Awareness and not intended for public dissemination.

Taiwan Firm to Build Chip Factory in US. May 2020 for 2024

WSJ: Taiwan Firm to Build Chip Factory in US

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, (TSMC) the world’s largest contract manufacturer of silicon chips, said Friday it would spend $12 billion to build a chip factory in Arizona, as US concerns grow about dependence on Asia for the critical technology. 

TSMC said the project, disclosed earlier Thursday by The Wall Street Journal, has the support of the federal government and the state of Arizona. It comes as the Trump administration has sought to jump-start development of new chip factories in the US due to rising fears about the US’s heavy reliance on Taiwan, China and South Korea to produce microelectronics and other key technologies. 

TSMC made the decision to go ahead with the project at a board meeting on Tuesday in Taiwan, according to people familiar with the matter, adding that both the State and Commerce Departments are involved in the plans. 

Construction will begin next year with production targeted for 2024, the company said in a statement.

Operation COVID-19. Personal Privacy. May 2020.

ULAC Seeks To Join Lawsuit To Protect People Who Test Positive For COVID-19 From Having Their Personal Information Turned Over To Police

Nation’s Oldest & Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Files a Motion to Intervene Supporting McHenry County, IL Health Department in Efforts to Block the Release of the Names and Addresses of People who Test Positive for COVID-19

McHenry County, Illinois - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) filed a motion to intervene as a defendant in a case that seeks to prevent the release of the names and addresses of all individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to the McHenry County Sheriff.

In the filing, LULAC argues that if the names or addresses of individuals who test positive for COVID-19 are shared with law enforcement officers, members of the Latino community will avoid seeking medical care for fear their information will be shared with law enforcement. Protecting the confidentiality of personal information is crucial to ensuring people will seek medical care and advancing public health goals, especially during a pandemic. The fear of personal information being disclosed to law enforcement officers creates an additional barrier to healthcare and will result in increased health disparities and possibly more COVID-19 related deaths in the Latino community.

“Turning over people’s personal information and putting it in the hands of law enforcement will discourage members of the Latino community from seeking medical care and being tested for COVID-19,” said LULAC President Domingo Garcia. “Without assurances that people’s names and addresses remain confidential, many people with symptoms or those recently exposed may refrain from seeking medical care in order to avoid testing positive and having their personal information provided to police. There is no legal reason or public health necessity for giving law enforcement American’s personal information and this practice only endangers our communities putting us at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19.”

“Latinos, including local LULAC members in McHenry County, live in fear that they will be mistreated by law enforcement officers if they test positive for coronavirus,” said Maggie Rivera, LULAC Illinois State Director. “Many individuals in these communities already fear that police will racially profile them, and a positive diagnosis only increases this fear of unfair treatment or targeting. Our community members also fear that if they are victims of a crime and have tested positive for COVID-19, they may not receive a prompt or adequate response by police. Spreading fear in our community will do nothing to mitigate the spread of this virus, it will only make it worse.”

The motion to intervene can be found here.

# # #

About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.

COVID-19. Guidance for \Facility Operators and Families to Properly Clean and Disinfect Spaces. May 14, 2020.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released updated guidance to help facility operators and families properly clean and disinfect spaces. Developed in concert with the White House, the guidance provides step-by-step instructions for public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools, and homes, and falls in line with the Opening up America Again guidelines. This call will include information on maintaining or restoring water in buildings with low or no use.

To view the guidance, click here: https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/guidance-cleaning-and-disinfecting-public-spaces-workplaces-businesses-schools-and-homes.

On this call we will discuss:

·    Grants

·    Readying your business to reopen as a safe environment

·    Advising businesses that will be doing this work

·    Cleaning and disinfecting guidance by EPA and CDC (required to open business again)

·    Maintaining water quality in buildings with low or no use

·    Fast Track Registering Cleaning Products for certification for Maintenance Companies and Manufacturers

TODAY May 14, 2020 at 3:00pm EDT

You will receive call in information upon registration.

_{https://www.eventbrite.com/e/call-with-epa-administrator-andrew-wheeler-tickets-105239094966}

National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC). Webinar: 1:00 pm (ET), May 15

National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) has been hosting a series of COVID-19 webinars covering a range of topics (all archived on the NETEC website).

Their webinar scheduled for 1:00 pm (ET) today, May 15, is focused on rapid ambulatory COVID-19 testing. Registration is required.

[MEDICALRESERVECORPS-L] MRC Updates: COVID-19 Response Efforts

MRC Network,

Thank you for continuing to share your unit’s COVID-19 activities with your regional liaisons and for reporting in the online system. As of this week, approximately 300 state and/or local MRC units have reported engagement with response activities – that’s roughly 36% of the national network.

Units continue to support a wide range of missions, including a sustained focus over the past several weeks on contact tracing, testing, and surge support for vulnerable populations (for example, patients in long-term care/skilled nursing facilities and individuals in homeless shelters). We’ve updated the COVID-19 Resources for MRC Units document to include a resources section for each of these missions as units continue to plan and support related efforts. Again, please let us know at MRCcontact@hhs.gov if there is a particular section or resource that you think would be helpful to add.

Also, the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) has been hosting a series of COVID-19 webinars covering a range of topics (all archived on the NETEC website). Their webinar scheduled for 1:00 pm (ET) today, May 15, is focused on rapid ambulatory COVID-19 testing. Registration is required.

Thank you,

Esmeralda

Esmeralda Pereira

Director, Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Program 

HIgher Education Program Community Call, May 15, 2020

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FEMA Higher Education Program Community Conference Call

TODAY

Friday, May 15, 2020

2:00-3:00 PM ET

https://fema.connectsolutions.com/hiedcommunitycall/

Community Call today is via Adobe Connect. Registration is not necessary. Click on the link to enter the room directly. Participants will need to use adobe audio. The Hi Ed conference line is not available for audio.

The Higher Education Community conference call is an opportunity for the Higher Education program to share updates as well as for the community to share information about projects, research, course development, achievements and challenges.

All are welcome to join! If you have a specific topic or would like to share an update that will take more than 5 minutes, please contact the Higher Education Program Office at wendy.walsh@fema.dhs.gov.

No formal notes of these calls are taken or posted, so please be mindful to capture the information needed during the calls.

Each call will loosely follow this agenda:

Roll call by FEMA region

1. Update on recent activities of the Higher Education Program
2. Highlights of community resources & opportunities
3. Community updates & celebrations
4. Review of next call date & adjournment

2017 to 2020. Operation COVID-19. A Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

Article

Dated:  Dec 19 2017

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/12/19/health/lethal-viruses-nih.html?referer=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com

A Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

By Donald G. McNeil Jr.

Dec. 19, 2017

Federal officials on Tuesday ended a moratorium imposed three years ago on funding research that alters germs to make them more lethal.

Such work can now proceed, said Dr. Francis S. Collins, the head of the National Institutes of Health, but only if a scientific panel decides that the benefits justify the risks.

Some scientists are eager to pursue these studies because they may show, for example, how a bird flu could mutate to more easily infect humans, or could yield clues to making a better vaccine.

Critics say these researchers risk creating a monster germ that could escape the lab and seed a pandemic.

Now, a government panel will require that researchers show that their studies in this area are scientifically sound and that they will be done in a high-security lab.

The pathogen to be modified must pose a serious health threat, and the work must produce knowledge — such as a vaccine — that would benefit humans. Finally, there must be no safer way to do the research.

 “We see this as a rigorous policy,” Dr. Collins said. “We want to be sure we’re doing this right.”

In October 2014, all federal funding was halted on efforts to make three viruses more dangerous: the flu virus, and those causing Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

But the new regulations apply to any pathogen that could potentially cause a pandemic. For example, they would apply to a request to create an Ebola virus transmissible through the air, said Dr. Collins.

There has been a long, fierce debate about projects — known as “gain of function” research — intended to make pathogens more deadly or more transmissible.

In 2011, an outcry arose when laboratories in Wisconsin and the Netherlands revealed that they were trying to mutate the lethal H5N1 bird flu in ways that would let it jump easily between ferrets, which are used to model human flu susceptibility.

Tensions rose in 2014 after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention accidentally exposed lab workers to anthrax and shipped a deadly flu virus to a laboratory that had asked for a benign strain.

That year, the N.I.H. also found vials of smallpox in a freezer that had been forgotten for 50 years.

When the moratorium was imposed, it effectively halted 21 projects, Dr. Collins said. In the three years since, the N.I.H. created exceptions that funded ten of those projects. Five were flu-related, and five concerned the MERS virus.

That virus is a coronavirus carried by camels that has infected about 2,100 people since it was discovered in 2012, and has killed about a third of them, according to the World Health Organization.

Critics of such research had mixed reactions. “There’s less than meets the eye,” said Richard H. Ebright, a molecular biologist and bioweapons expert at Rutgers University.

Although he applauded the requirement for review panels, he said he would prefer independent panels to government ones.

He also wanted the rules to cover all such research rather than just government-funded work, as well as clearer minimum safety standards and a mandate that the benefits “outweigh” the risks instead of merely “justifying” them.

Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiologist who directs the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard School of Public Health, called review panels “a small step forward.”

Recent disease-enhancing experiments, he said, “have given us some modest scientific knowledge and done almost nothing to improve our preparedness for pandemics, and yet risked creating an accidental pandemic.”

Therefore, he said, he hoped the panels would turn down such work.

Michael T. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said he believed some laboratories could do such work safely, but wanted restrictions on what they could publish.

“If someone finds a way to make the Ebola virus more dangerous, I don’t believe that should be available to anybody off the street who could use it for nefarious purposes,” he said.

“Physicists long ago learned to distinguish between what can be publicly available and what’s classified,” he added, referring to nuclear weapons research. “We want to keep some of this stuff on a need-to-know basis.”

A version of this article appears in print on Dec. 20, 2017, Section A, Page 12 of the New York edition with the headline: U.S. Lifts Ban On Modifying Lethal Viruses.