LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK
INSURANCE PAYMENTS,
While COVID-19 deaths are increasing, overall deaths in the U.S. are down. One reason is cars are off the road, meaning fewer accidents. Applause to many leading auto-insurance companies — with fewer people driving, these companies are carrying less risk. Most are offering about a 15% credit to policy holders in the months ahead. If you are struggling to make a payment, contact your insurance company. Many are waiving late fees, continuing to renew policies if payments are missed and helping customers set up payment plans.
MASKS AT DISNEY,
Walt Disney exec Bob Iger had the start of a good idea in suggesting that Walt Disney World could do temperature checks before allowing anyone inside the park. That makes sense but doesn’t get to the problem of allowing people in the park — or any attraction here — who don’t have symptoms but can spread the virus to others. So here’s another idea — in addition to temperature checks, make everyone wear a mask. Disney could give them out after the temp check, with pictures of different Disney characters to put some Disney fun in it.
WILL WE BE DIFFERENT?
When hardship strikes, it often inspires new habits or commitments. In recent weeks, a tsunami of hardship struck Florida, illuminating decades of poor leadership in our state. Twenty years of raiding the affordable housing trust fund, the refusal to expand Medicaid and a disastrous unemployment system will result in immeasurable harm for thousands of Floridians. On Easter Sunday, we are reminded that those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. Florida can come out of this stronger than before, but only if our state leaders find not just compassion within themselves but the courage to act on it.
GOVERNMENT LACKING,
Government response to the coronavirus is mostly political gesturing. That should be perfectly clear to most people by now. No government official wants to be tagged as someone “not doing something about it.” It’s up to us and not the government “to do something about it.” Reasonable steps should be actively promoted but not mandated by the government without creating the record-high unemployment we have now. Keeping your distance, washing your hands, wearing masks and gloves, staying home if you are ill — these are all steps the vast majority of people understand without the force of government.
Floridians were lied to and now more are suffering from the selfish acts of two men. In order to deflate Florida’s unemployment numbers, then-governor and now U.S. Sen. Rick Scott designed a system that kept benefits out of needy hands while his successor — Gov. Ron DeSantis — has done nothing in this role to address the problem. Only a record number of claims has prompted DeSantis to review the unethical process. It is disturbing to think that it took an unimaginable crisis to prod our elected officials to fix this problem. Wouldn’t it be nice if they also took responsibility for their actions?
PEOPLE OF COLOR AT HIGH RISK,
The coronavirus is a crisis for everyone. But our nation’s deep-seated discrimination puts people of color at highest risk of infection and death. Pew Research found blacks and Latinos more than twice as likely than whites to worry about this pandemic, are more likely to be without health care and have heart disease, diabetes and asthma. They often hold low-wage jobs with no paid sick leave and no insurance. A legacy of neglect is robbing people of the color of their very lives. And still our government hasn’t prioritized the protection and support these communities need. This pandemic is a great reveal of white supremacy in our society.
STIMULUS,
The next stimulus package will be a huge issue going forward. How Congress and the states continue to address the basic needs of their citizens — money, housing, food and medical — will be on the front burner as we try to keep a semblance of the economy moving in a positive manner and protect jobs and families. Put partisan politics, blame and negativism aside and realize that we are all truly in this together. We need to help and protect each other, and whether we are pro-government or not, have to rely on government to get through this with a new normal.
PREPARING FOR EMERGENCY,
Everyone in health care is spending a lot of time looking at models for the coming COVID-19 surge. Whether that surge comes as early as midApril or as late as early May, the preparation is the same. We are ready and working to stay ahead of any potential shortages of critical supplies, like PPE. In the meantime, our community needs to know our health system is still here for them. The last thing we want is for people to ignore life-threatening symptoms and avoid emergency rooms when they need care most. Centra Care is another option for urgent needs, and eCare, providing video visits, can be accessed from anywhere online. We can safely treat urgent medical conditions even as we manage COVID-19.