Corona Virus Update 4/30

Productive discussion with the Governor’s office today. We finally got an inventory of PPE from hospitals. This inventory came from the hospitals themselves. Almost all reported greater than or equal to a 15 day supply, including N95s. We asked if this is the case, why have some hospitals gone to the CDC Crisis Capacity? The Governor’s office agreed that no hospital should be at Crisis capacity and anyone caring for a Covid suspected or positive patient should have access to an N95. They will work with DPH on this.
We also pushed at an AFL-CIO press conference.

https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpatch.com%2Fconnecticut%2Facross-ct%2Fcoronavirus-essential-workers-want-voice-ct-reopen-plan&data=02%7C01%7Cjbrady%40aftct.org%7Cefc533f0f16942df8da808d7ed3c7d5a%7Cc912f9978344453ea9546829e629feb3%7C0%7C0%7C637238716385920284&sdata=OZbfbM0S%2FMGyzCAnMlRGpDHX4lUFsm%2BCnj1FsSawMZE%3D&reserved=0

We are 54 days from our first confirmed case of Covid in Connecticut
97,133 have been tested
27,700 have tested positive
1650 are currently hospitalized, down 41 today
2257 have died, 89 today

Next week is Nurses Week, Teacher’s Week and Public Employees week.
Someone shared this.  

Our nurses working at Natchaug (some of them transferred from Backus) started a letter writing campaign Tuesday to DPH to go along with an OSHA complaint that was filed. they go the following answer today. 

Good morning,

Thank you so much for your message. We have received many copies of this letter in the past couple days. They have all been directed to the Facility Licensing and Investigations Section.

Can you please provide contact information for the group coordinating this effort so we can best respond and provide any updates? Can you help us get this into the right hands of AFT Healthcare locals?


AFT has completed this plan to reopen schools

WASHINGTON—The American Federation of Teachers has released a detailed road map that, in the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine, charts a path to safely and responsibly reopen school buildings and other institutions crucial to the well-being and economic vitality of our communities. The 20-page, science-based “Plan to Safely Reopen America’s Schools and Communities” sprung from an intense collaboration of public health professionals, union leaders and frontline workers to prepare for what happens next in the period between flattening the curve and truly eradicating the virus.  It features five core pillars that inform our decision to reopen the country based on the science as well as educator and healthcare expertise—not on politics or wishful thinking. To gradually reopen, we need to:  1. Maintain physical distancing until the number of new cases declines for at least 14 consecutive days. Reducing the number of new cases is a prerequisite for transitioning to reopening plans on a community-by-community basis.  2. Put in place the infrastructure and resources to test, trace and isolate new cases. Transitioning from community-focused physical distancing and stay-in-place orders to case-specific interventions requires ramping up the capacity to test, trace and isolate each new case. 3.​ Deploy the public health tools that prevent the virus’ spread and align them with education strategies that meet the needs of students. 4. ​Involve workers, unions, parents and communities in all planning. Each workplace and community faces unique challenges related to COVID-19. To ensure that reopening plans address those challenges, broad worker and community involvement is necessary. They must be engaged, educated and empowered. 5.​ Invest in recovery: Do not abandon America’s communities or forfeit America’s future. These interventions will require more—not less—investment in public health and in our schools, universities, hospitals, and local and state governments. Strengthening communities should be a priority in the recovery. The blueprint acknowledges Americans’ eagerness to return to some semblance of “normal.” But to do so, we must meet an unprecedented challenge: figuring out how to reimagine our society and the physical places we hold dear—public schools, places of worship, workplaces, restaurants and more—in ways that put our ultimate priorities first: the safety and well-being of working families, especially frontline workers, and the economic health of society. Our schools, in addition to educating students and acting as centers of the community, enable parents to work outside the home, meaning their safe reopening is a pivotal—if not the most pivotal—factor in remaking the country. The comprehensive document addresses complexities and provides specific guidance for transitioning from lockdowns to other public health approaches. And it is the only plan we know of that marries the instructional and social-emotional needs of students and the logistics of programming in schools with the imperative to adopt public health tools that prevent viral transmission.  It shows how, in response to the crisis, we must plan and align logistics, educational strategies and public health approaches into one coherent response. And it is expected to evolve as the data, and the facts, change.  AFT President Randi Weingarten said: “America is staring down a singular challenge that will require all of us to come together and negotiate a safe path forward. By drawing on facts and science, and the expertise of educators and healthcare practitioners, we have drafted a bold five-point plan that aligns necessary public health tools, student instructional needs and logistics to gradually—but safely, equitably and intentionally—reopen our schools and communities. “Our blueprint serves as a stark contrast to the conflicting guidance, bluster and lies of the Trump administration. The input of educators and healthcare workers, as well as parents, is crucial in making any reopening plan work. They are the eyes and ears, and are indispensable in making any plan work safely and effectively. We hope this blueprint will be the start of a real discussion on reopening schools, universities and other workplaces that allows our workers and families not only to dream of a safe and welcoming future, but to realize it.” The plan can be read here.

Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten

This is a benefit to members on estate planning.

I can be reached on my cell if you have questions.

Mary Pascale

240-676-7974

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Cashen, Jill" <jcashen@unionprivilege.org>
Date: April 29, 2020 at 3:06:58 PM EDT
To: "Mary Traeger Pascale, Office of the Secretary-Treasurer" <mtraeger@aft.org>, "Tish Olshefski, Office of the Secretary-Treasurer" <Tish.Olshefski@aft.org>
Subject: FW:  MetLife offers Estate Planning for Healthcare Workers



Another added benefit for healthcare members and their families. Here’s a shorter blurb about it.

MetLife Healthcare Heroes

Union Plus partner MetLife is offering members of healthcare organizations online estate planning services from May 4 through June 30 at no cost. These services will be available at MetLife.com/Heroes and will be provided by Willing, a MetLife company.

After answering a few questions, members will be able to create:

• Healthcare Proxy* – Make decisions about your own medical care and/or appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf. (*Not available in Oregon)
• Power of Attorney – Delegate someone you trust to manage your financial affairs. 
• Estate Planning Documents (Last Will and Testament) – Choose who should receive your assets and name beneficiaries for minor children.

If your members​, their spouse, children, extended family members, or friends work in the healthcare industry, please encourage them to take advantage of this benefit.  The benefit is open to anyone in U.S. regardless of relationship to MetLife.

 This is a study that has now been peer reviewed showing evidence of aerosolized Coronavirus News:

Aerosol Study: In Nature (here) Chinese researchers document aerosol-transmitted viral fragments found in more locations, over longer duration and in much smaller sizes than previously thought.  They express a cautionary note for gathering and changing areas for health care workers: “We found that some medical staff areas initially had high concentrations of viral RNA with aerosol size distributions showing peaks in submicrometre and/or supermicrometre regions, but these levels were reduced to undetectable levels after implementation of rigorous sanitization procedures.”

Please be well,
John