New England tackles COVID-19; Vermont has first virus deaths
Vermont officials announced the state’s first two deaths from the coronavirus on Thursday evening. One was an elderly man from Windsor County who was hospitalized at the VA Medical Center in White River Junction and the other was an elderly woman who was a resident of the Burlington Health & Rehab longterm care facility in Burlington, Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said at a press conference. “Both were very elderly,” he said.
“These deaths, and I hope we will experience no more, highlight how extremely important it is for all of us, young and old, to take extra care to protect those who are most vulnerable to serious illness, including older people, those with chronic illnesses or impairment in their immunity,” Levine said.
More than 20 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Vermont. The University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vermont’s largest city, is temporarily suspending visitation at the hospital with limited exceptions. It’s restricting entrances and screening everyone who enters the hospital or clinics.
Gov. Phil Scott signed a directive on Thursday allowing for the take-out and delivery of alcoholic beverages accompanying food orders from restaurants and bars, which are now closed to in-service customers. “If you can, please help them out by ordering take-out or delivery for you & your family!” he tweeted.
Elsewhere in New England:
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo is calling on private companies to help the state replenish its stockpile of medical supplies for responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Democrat said Thursday that the state needs specialized swabs to collect virus samples for testing, as well as personal protective equipment like masks, gloves and gowns to keep health care workers safe.
She’s hoping local medical supply companies, manufacturers, research labs, dentists and other businesses that might stock the equipment can step up.
Health officials also said Thursday the state now has more than 40 confirmed cases of the virus, up 11 from Wednesday.
The University of Rhode Island suspended face-to-face classes for the remainder of the spring semester, and will conduct classes online only.
Massachusetts
Gov. Charlie Baker authorized the activation of 2,000 Massachusetts National Guard members on Thursday to help with the state’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Baker said the National Guard will help with requests from state agencies for equipment, logistics, warehousing, and other duties. Cities, towns, and state agencies can submit requests for support through the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
Baker declared a state of emergency on March 10, giving the administration more flexibility to respond to the outbreak.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts jumped to 328 on Thursday, up from 256 reported Wednesday.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported that of the total, 43 were hospitalized. The increase comes as the state is ramping up efforts to test more suspected cases of the disease caused by coronavirus. Of the total, 97 are linked to a meeting by the biotech company Biogen Inc., 46 are local transmissions, 34 are travel related, and the rest are under investigation.
Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said Thursday the state aims to administer 3,500 tests a day by the beginning of next week with the help of private testing facilities, up from about 400 tests per day now.
Massachusetts lawmakers are preparing legislation that would let cities and towns temporarily postpone municipal elections.
Democratic Senate President Karen Spilka said Thursday that moving forward with traditional elections would put voters, election workers and others at risk. Spilka said lawmakers are also moving to postpone special legislative elections scheduled for March 31.
Democratic House Speaker Robert DeLeo said the House will take up the measure next week. Spilka said the Senate also wants to make sure there are robust mail and absentee voting options.
The top prosecutor for Boston and surrounding communities is seeking the release from custody of certain people who are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus because of their health or age.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ office said in an emailed statement Thursday that it is working with defense attorneys to identity “individuals whose release we deem urgent and necessary for public health reasons.”
Rollins’ office said she is seeking to free from jail only those who “pose no meaningful risk to public safety.”
The Boston Symphony Orchestra has extended its period of performance and event cancellations in light of the coronavirus outbreak at both Symphony Hall in Boston and Tanglewood in Lenox through May 2.
Maine
A Maine island community has rescinded its order banning visitors and seasonal residents because of the coronavirus pandemic. But the community’s leaders are still asking people to limit travel.
A new resolution from the
North Haven Select Board “strongly” encourages people to stay where they are. It also says that people who live on the mainland with better access to medical care should refrain from the traveling to the island, where resources are limited.
Town Administrator Rick Lattimer said it was never the Select Board’s intention to keep summer residents away from the community with about 375 year-round residents and one medical clinic.
Two more people who live at a retirement community in Falmouth have tested positive for coronavirus, the director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
The new diagnoses double the number of people from OceanView in Falmouth who have tested positive, Nirav Shah said.
Shah made the announcement on the same day he announced the number of positive cases in the state has surged past 50. One person has recovered and four are hospitalized, Shah said.
The state is also changing rules to allow compounding pharmacies to help alleviate the state’s hand sanitizer shortage by making and selling their own, Shah said.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is creating a $50 million fund to provide interest-free, short term loans to hospitals and other health care organizations taking a financial hit due to the coronavirus.
Many hospitals are losing money because they’ve postponed elective surgeries and other procedures.
“We have to support the entire system from the top down, so individuals can receive the best care possible from the ground up,” Republican Gov. Chris Sununu said Thursday. “We must ensure our system has solvency and cash flow, and we will not let the doors of help be shut to anyone.”
Struggling New Hampshire businesses also are now eligible for up to $2 million each in loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, which this week agreed to make the state eligible for emergency resources. The state also is putting together other measures to help businesses.
More than 40 people in New Hampshire have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
New Hampshire’s public university system is shifting to remote teaching for the remainder of the semester. Housing will continue to be provided to University of New Hampshire, Keene State College and Plymouth State University students who do not have a secure place to be and have been granted exceptions. The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.