Erin Smith- 3/13
At the White House today, Trump declared the United States in a national emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The White House will be launching a new website that should aid people in getting tested for the virus. Trump also announced that the government will be allotted 50 million dollars to go to the states for treatment facilities and supplies. The next eight weeks are critical, with cases in the US now at 2,100 and at least 50 people have died.
President Trump says he will be tested for COVID-19, after he was in close contact with a Brazillian official who has tested positive. Trump also adds that he will not partake in self-quarantine, even though he is encouraging Americans to do so. Even as he took several actions and asked all hospitals in the country to launch their emergency response plans, he urges Americans to have hope.
The house has come to a consensus on a plan, Nancy Pelosi says that the deal is done and includes two weeks of paid sick leave and funding for families with children.
The extent of how much this pandemic will affect industry has been clear recently with store grocery store shelves bare. Over 14 states have closed their schools, which is nearly 22,000 schools nationwide. Effecting more than 15 million students. The Masters golf tournament has been canceled and Royal Caribbean has canceled all cruises for at least 30 days. Many Americans are now preparing for the worst, people now stocking up on the essentials from supermarkets. Many people are struggling to get tested for the virus, drive through testing in parking lots is now available in more than 17 states. New York has the most confirmed cases in the U.S. at more than 400.
The stock market ended at a high this week, despite a brutal week. By the closing bell, the stock market was up over 9%. Even with this rebound, it may take more than the president's reassurance to boost Americans' confidence. Investors remain on guard with so many unemployment claims. The hardest-hit industries are the airline industry, hotels, and the service industry. Small business owners and lower-wage workers are waiting for news on government financial assistance.
CBS also spoke with former U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy. Regarding social distancing, he commented that if you are planning on seeing friends you need to be aware of who they have been in contact with. When going to the grocery store, be conscious of what surfaces you are touching and do not touch your face. Wash your hands regularly, and just be aware that any surface you touch could be a risk. Dr. Murthy has written about loneliness as a public health concern and with this social distancing, we run the risk of damaging our social connections. It's important to keep in contact with the people you love and to spread kindness at this time. Stay connected with one another through video calls and social media and don't forget to tell people how much they mean to you.
Testing in the United States has fell short, fewer than 17,000 people have been tested since the first case two months ago. Trump is reassuring people than testing should become widely available in the next couple of weeks. Stores such as Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens have agreed to allow drive-through testing sites in their parking lots. Business owner Joseph Lansa has a sore throat and fever and owns a manufacturing company in New York state. He is worried that without being tested in will put other people at risk and without testing it will impact his company dramatically. Americans across the country are wondering where they can get tested. The U.S. has not been as quick to prevent the spread of COVID-19 compared to other countries. A delay in testing is slowing the ability to contain the virus in the U.S. Laboratories across the nation are working to get through tests faster and see results faster. At the Mayo Clinics drive through in Minnesota, up to 300 people a day can be tested. They are hoping to get that number up to 1,000 by later in the month.
The US Department of Health and Human Services estimates if the virus becomes very servere, over 38 million Americans will need hospital care and nearly 10 million will need to stay in a hospital. Military hospitals might be able to help, but will that be enough? Hospitals are quickly being filled and it's going to get a lot worse. The U.S. only has 65,000 ICU beds currently available. At several hospitals, they are doubling up on beds and preparing outdoor facilities only for coronavirus patients. The $50 million announced this morning should help hospitals prepare for more and more patients.
Qasim Rashid, a muslin running for congress in the state of Virginia, has expected some negative comments on his campaign. One comment he received stated things like, "we don't need you in any seat of office." This comment was from Odee Dylan, and he was hoping to reil a response. Kasheem did respond, but in a way no one expected. Rashid looked into the man's Facebook page, and found that Dylan had a go fund me for his crushing medical debt. Rashid then tweeted a link to his Go fund me and urged his followers to help him in any way they could. People donated over $20,000 total and paid off his medical debt. Dylan asked Rashid for forgiveness and then asked Rashid to come visit him. They have seen each other a couple times at coffee shops, talked politics and killing misconceptions. Dylan commented he learned a lot from Rashid. Even though Rashid was not looking for votes, Dylan made Rashid put his campaign signs in his yard so that everyone could see. In this uncertain time, civility and humanity is really what the world needs to see, and Dylan and Rashid's story definitely shows that.
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