The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a report released Tuesday that at least 9,282 health care workers have contracted the coronavirus over two months, and that the likely number of cases that have gone unidentified and unreported indicate the true total is likely much higher.
We are 40 days since our first confirmed Covid positive case in Connecticut.
50,143 have been tested
14,755 have tested positive
1908 are currently hospitalized, up 197 from yesterday
868 have died
Hello Everyone-
I hope you are all well. As some of you are aware, The New England Consortium has created a two-hour virtual course on Protecting Yourself Against COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases. These sessions are instructor-led, interactive, and include breakout sessions. Mike Fitts, Executive Director and the lead trainer for ConnectiCOSH is one of those instructors. There are numerous free sessions planned for the month of April including the following dates:
Thursday, April 16th is already full
Please see the attached flyer for more information and registration details.
Be well,
Pamela Puchalski
Project Coordinator, ConnectiCOSH
This is a study on the effectiveness of respirator decontamination methods. It speaks well of the Battelle system that will be running soon in Connecticut.
From Kelly:
Good morning, healthcare leaders:
Please see below a last minute invite to a virtual town hall with Vice President Biden. Apologies for the late notice; we got this late last night.
Kelly
Good Evening Labor Friends,
The Biden Team would like to invite you and your members to a virtual town hall with Vice President Biden, moderated by FL State House Representative Shevrin Jones.
This will be a conversation on issues facing workers on the frontline of the coronavirus crisis.
This will be a live streamed event on social media - event details in the social media flier attached.
Kelly D. Trautner
Director | Health Issues
(Pronouns: she/hers)
T: 202-393-7991 | F: 202-783-2014 | E: ktrautne@aft.org
Reminder:
Please give me as much info as you can about what the different hospital systems are doing as far as Workers Comp on these points:
1. Are members being put on Paid Administrative Leave if they are Covid positive/out sick?
2. Are member’s medical bills being covered by the hospital?
3. Are members having problems with the healthcare systems trying to say an illness was not acquired at work?
I need to get these answers to the Governor’s office ASAP. Thank you to those who have responded.
We are now having twice weekly Zoom meetings with the Governor's office and a DPH Deputy Commissioner and they promise that if we bring specifics to them that they will work on them.
Today I forwarded an email message from a Backus Nurse to and from the Hospital CEO, about proper use of PPE.
The Deputy Commissioner is Going to call me tonight when her meetings end, at 8:00.
We also had a meeting with the AFL-CIO and the Governor's office today and that is once weekly, so there are multiple times to have our issues heard.
We have been pushing for a presumption of Workers Comp. In other words, if you became sick, you would not have to prove it was from work.
There are 3 issues that would be covered.
Lost wages for being out
Medical bills
Death benefits.
Today, two of those issues were partially addressed.
From the Governor's office:
Hospital, urgent care, and EMS personnel under 60 will soon be able to enroll in a free life insurance policy from Mass Mutual. This program will be open not only to your nurse members but to their colleagues on the janitorial staff, in the cafeteria, &c. More information is available in the following press release and on the website the release links to. Please share as widely as you think appropriate. Of course, my fervent hope is that this opportunity will provide your members with some additional peace of mind but will never be called upon to pay out benefits.
For Immediate Release Contact: Jim Carson
CONNECTICUT INSURANCE COMMISSIONER APPROVES FRONT-LINE HEALTH CARE WORKER 'NO-COST' LIFE INSURANCE COVERAGE DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
HARTFORD, Conn. – Insurance Commissioner Andrew N. Mais announced today that front-line health care workers in Connecticut and Massachusetts may soon be eligible to receive up to $25,000 of life insurance at no cost. The Connecticut Insurance Department expedited approval of HealthBridge, a new Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) life insurance product that offers no-cost, guaranteed issue policies to front-line health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new HealthBridge coverage allows healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic to directly enroll for a no-premium payment 3-year term life insurance policy with a $25,000 death benefit for issue ages 18-50. Workers with issue ages 51 to 60 will receive a no-cost $10,000 death benefit.
Eligible individuals must be employed at a licensed hospital, urgent care center, or with an emergency medical services provider and have exposure to COVID-19 patients.
"Innovative products like HealthBridge provide much needed peace of mind and security for those working on the front lines of this pandemic who give so much of themselves for all of us," said Commissioner Andrew N. Mais. "When the company first reached out to us with this idea, we immediately started working to expedite approval so front-line healthcare workers can benefit from the support life insurance can offer."
“Healthcare workers are on the front line supporting our communities during this unprecedented public health crisis and the risks that they face are significant,” said Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Gary D. Anderson. "Now more than ever, it is critical that regulators and insurers recognize the importance of flexible and innovative products that enable these essential personnel to do their jobs as efficiently as possible while knowing that their families are protected. I appreciate Commissioner Mais and the Connecticut Insurance Department for their partnership and collaboration in our shared efforts to serve CT and MA policyholders.”
All active employees of licensed hospitals, urgent care centers or emergency medical services in Massachusetts and Connecticut whose jobs may involve occupational exposure to the virus are eligible for the 3-year term life policies. In addition to doctors and nurses; lab technicians, custodial staff, maintenance crews, cafeteria workers, and security personnel will also be considered for coverage. More details and enrollment information is on the MassMutual HealthBridge web page.
The second issue is that Insurance Companies in Connecticut have agreed to cover Covid testing and treatment with no copay or deductible.
This is a start and a sign that they are at least hearing us.
On that note, I spoke to the Washington Post reporter today about our OSHA complaints against Hartford Healthcare.
L&M wants to force staff to go work at Greenwich and Bridgeport Hospitals. The unions attempted to negotiate terms of these transfers, offering that the hospital first ask for volunteers. The hospital refused to bargain. So, the unions are running a campaign on this issue. Today, the 4 L&M unions had their weekly call with area legislators and this was one of the topics of discussion.
BTW, last week the unions told the legislators and brought up the issue of plexiglass in front of registrars to protect them. This is standard CDC and OSHA protection but the hospital was pushing back. The legislators spoke to the hospital and tomorrow installation of the plexiglass begins.
Please, if you or your members are asked to care for a Covid positive patient or a PUI (person under investigation/rule out) without prober PPE, including an N95, please let your Local leadership know, DPH know at https://dphflisevents.ct.gov , and me know at jbrady@aftct.org
Be safe,
John
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