As
the toll mounts, Rhode Island ramps up testing
By Will Collette
We’re close to 1,100 confirmed cases for the state – Charlestown’s number remains at less than 5.
But those numbers will rise dramatically as the state gets more
drive-thru test sites up and running.
That’s a good thing because we need an honest and clear picture of how the pandemic has spread through Rhode Island so we can make more informed decisions.
The latest mass testing will take place in the Twin Rivers
parking lot where CVS Minute Clinic staff will administer a new, faster test
that can produce results in 5 minutes if you test positive and 15 minutes if
you test clear. Remember: you need an APPOINTMENT to get tested, but the
criteria has been loosened to open testing to any feeling ill.
The state has also set up three field hospitals to prepare for
the anticipated surge of patients needing hospitalization. They have the
capacity for 1000+ sick people.
Sites are: the Rhode Island Convention Center and two vacant buildings: a former Citizens Bank building on Sockanosset Cross Road in Cranston and a former Lowe’s at Quonset.
Sites are: the Rhode Island Convention Center and two vacant buildings: a former Citizens Bank building on Sockanosset Cross Road in Cranston and a former Lowe’s at Quonset.
Money,
money, money
There’s good news and bad news on the money front. The good news
is that the RI Department of Labor and Training will start taking applications
tomorrow (Tuesday) from workers who normally don’t qualify for benefits, such
as the self-employed and gig workers.
CLICK HERE for DLT’s home page that leads with links to programs for workers
seeking help due to COVID-19 job loss.
Chances are that signing up will not be quick and effortless,
but this program – fought for by Congressional Democrats against strong
Republican push-back – will provide needed relief to many workers often left
out.
The bad news is obstructionist tactics by banks to the new “Paycheck
Protection Program,” a part of the CARES Act that was supposed to give
forgivable loans to businesses with fewer than 500 workers to prevent worker
lay-offs. The program had its official launch last Friday.
Banks have been turning away business applicants for a variety
of reasons, such as restricting loans to only those businesses with existing
account or forcing applicants to buy other bank services in order to be considered.
State Treasurer Seth Magaziner wrote to all banks and credit
unions in Rhode Island to tell them to knock it off.
“This is unacceptable,” Magaziner wrote.
“I am concerned that, during the roll out of the PPP program (Friday), many Rhode Island SBA lenders indicated that they would only process PPP applications for their pre-existing customers.
“At least one SBA lender indicated that it would only process PPP applications for pre-existing customers with other active credit products, effectively denying small businesses that have no debt access to this vital program and using the program as leverage to cross-sell other products.”
“Locally, institutions such as Citizens Bank held off participating, at least initially, while banks such as The Washington Trust Co. and Centreville Bank were processing applications.”
More closures of Rhode Island nature
sites
For lack of other outdoor activities, people have flocked to the
state’s many outdoor recreation sites. But the influx of visitors opened up new
potential vectors for coronavirus infections.
The state and some towns (e.g. Narragansett) led the way by
closing down parks and beaches. Others like Charlestown followed behind.
The RI Nature Conservancy has closed down all of its preserves,
including several in Charlestown.
Now the US Fish and Wildlife service has closed one of its National Wildlife Refuges - the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown.
The ProJo
reports that the “Audubon Society of Rhode Island has kept its lands open
and the Rhode Island Land Trust Council also has not adopted an
across-the-board closure.”
Ninigret NWR here in Charlestown and Trustom Pond in South
Kingstown remain open but the USFWS is monitoring the number of visitors and
their behavior.
The
Charlestown land Trust seems to be ignoring COVID-19. Their website touts the
planned opening of their farmers’ market on June 26, a 10K run on June 13 and a
“summer party” at the Nordic Lounge on July 23. Good luck with all that. Sure
would be nice if this was all over by June, but I’m not betting on it.
Filippi grabs
his share of the spotlight
 |
| This is a pearlfish, a bottom feeder. And this is what it does all day. |
As the only state Republican used by the media for any counter-point to Gov. Raimondo or the General Assembly leaders, he gets quoted on all manner of subjects.
For
instance, because of the pandemic and its economic impact on Rhode Island and
the state’s budget, he
says “I don’t think anything is going to escape
the hatchet.” He also says that he might even support raising taxes, though
given his past history, I’ll believe that when I see it.
One major concern for Flip is the upcoming elections, starting
with the process of getting on the ballot and then campaigning. In addition to
his talent at drawing media attention, Flip is also known for his door-knocking
skill where he can turn on his charm.
This starts in June when candidates have to officially declare and
then to a short time frame in July to collect enough signatures to qualify for
the ballot.
Sez
Flip: “I’m concerned about people being able to get on the
ballot when you can’t really interact, you can’t go knock on doors and get
signatures.”
“The
bread and butter of politics is knocking on people’s door in this state, as it
should be, and I just don’t know that we’re going to be able to be doing that,”
Filippi says, so candidates will need to be “really
smart and crafty with online messaging, mail messaging, to get their word out.”
Most of Westerly
is not covered by Gov. Raimondo’s checkpoint for out of state visitors.
Collins
points out that the Route One checkpoint is north of Westerly Airport so most
visitors staying in Westerly don’t need to pass it. The Route 95 checkpoint is
at Exit 3 so visitors heading for Watch Hill or the beaches can just get off at
Exits 1 and 2.
I’ve
driven past the Route One checkpoint several times going to and from CVS. I saw
very little activity except a couple of times where a trooper chased and
stopped out of state drivers who blew past the checkpoint.
Collins
said a soldier at one of the checkpoints told him most cars were just passing
through Rhode Island and the early-arriving summer residents had already gotten
here before the checkpoints went up
.
.
Electric Boat head tests positive
The Day,
published out of New London and one of our best local newspapers, reports Kevin
Graney, CEO
of Electric Boat, has tested positive for
COVID-19. Graney told the Day his symptoms have been mild but he is listening
to medical advice and staying home.
He also
told the Day EB’s Groton shipyard has six confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Local businesses pitch in to help
 |
| By Andy Marlette, Pensacola News Journal |
Most of their production
is being donated to institutions and groups that have to have a lot of direct
contact with the public.
They are making a small
part of their production available to the public for a suggested donation of $3
a bottle (hey, imagine how much they could get on EBay). Visit their website or call them at 401.212.7592 BEFORE visiting them at 63 Canal Street,
Westerly.
My
nephew says that his employer, a high-tech company in South Kingstown, is using
its bank of 3-D printers to crank out PPEs.
I’m
sure there are many other unheralded efforts by individuals and businesses to
help each other make it through this crisis. It takes empathy, ingenuity and a
degree of patriotism. If more of us do it, maybe it will rub off on the White
House, though probably not.
A piece of news
you may have missed
Former
Rhode Island Governor and US Senator Lincoln
Chafee has announced an end to his nearly invisible campaign for President
as a Libertarian (sorry, Flip – but here’s your chance to replace him).
Chafee’s
statement repeatedly mentions COVID-19 but doesn’t exactly name that (or any
other reason) for deciding to drop out of the race. He does say he made the
decision “after a tremendous amount of thought.”
His
mother
died a couple of weeks ago at age 93.
Chafee left Rhode Island a year ago and moved to Wyoming where he apparently has an anvil, some bolt-cutters, a hammer, a jack and a grinding wheel.
Chafee left Rhode Island a year ago and moved to Wyoming where he apparently has an anvil, some bolt-cutters, a hammer, a jack and a grinding wheel.
Pandemic
coverage in Progressive Charlestown
To date, we’ve
run close to 150 pieces tagged “pandemic” in Progressive Charlestown. They run the
gamut from cartoons and videos to political commentary to solid, science-based
articles on key aspects of the COVID-19 onslaught.
Here
is a listing of serious, science-based articles we have published that address
the health and scientific questions many of us want answered on COVID-19. Includes
self-help posts. I’ve left off political commentary pieces and exposes on
Trump’s scandalous mishandling of the crisis:
Should
you keep taking your blood pressure meds or ibuprofen? http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/04/covid-19-and-your-medications.html
How
health experts decide who gets treated: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/04/who-lives-and-who-dies.html
Discusses
the differences between types of masks: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/04/should-we-wear-masks-or-not.html
When
they talk about “exponential growth,” what that means: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/04/coronavirus-cases-are-growing.html
URI
School of Pharmacy produces sanitizer: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/04/clean-local-joins-eat-local-as-bywords.html
List
of new benefits and help coming under the CARES Act: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/04/covid-19-update-from-rep-jim-langevin.html
Local environmental and recycling programs suspended due to pandemic: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/04/unintended-consequences.html
Beware of counterfeit COVID-19 goods: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/04/buyer-beware.html
What makes COVID-19 so deadly: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/04/video-what-coronavirus-does-to-your.html
What scientists actually know (so far) about Trump’s miracle drug: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/04/some-real-science-on-chloroquine.html AND http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/will-trumps-magic-bullet-work.html
Where pandemics come from: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/where-pandemics-come-from.html
Looking back at the 1918 flu for insight: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/the-truth-about-greatest-pandemic-in.html
How to cope with COVID-19 anxiety: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/video-how-to-keep-covid-19-from-driving.html
COVID-19 was NOT manufactured: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/no-covid-19-was-not-manufactured-in.html
Your cat or dog cannot give you COVID-19: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/can-you-get-covid-19-from-your-cat-or.html
Federal and state sick leave: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/new-federal-sick-leave-law-is.html
How long does COVID-19 stay active on surfaces: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/how-long-does-covid-19-stay-active-on.html
How COVID-19 affects older people: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/why-covid-19-acts-as-boomer-remover.html
Social distancing: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/social-distancing.html
Getting hand sanitizer that actually works: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/pick-right-hand-cleaner.html
Hand washing: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/03/video-why-hand-washing-really-is-as.html
This is the first Progressive Charlestown posting on COVID-19, January 27, covering the chances of you getting it: http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2020/01/are-you-in-danger-of-catching.html
To
see ALL postings on COVID-19, click on “Pandemic.”