5/15 Fri. COVID-19 Daily Update

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COVID Cases Today

World: Cases: 4.5M (+100k).  Deaths: 307k(+5k).

USA: Cases: 1.44M (+30k).  Deaths: 87.5k (+1.7k).  Total Tested: 10.7M (+400k).
Hawaii: Cases:  638 (+1).  Deaths: 17 (+0).  Hospitalized: 81 (+0). Recovered: 5645(+1).

 

Governor says he’ll extend ’safer-at-home’ order through June (Hawaii News Now, May 15. 2020)

Ige and Caldwell both will extend the stay at home order through June 30th.  But some lifting of restrictions will take place too.  “medium risk” activities like dine-in restaurant service and barbershops may open before June 30th.  Some malls will open on Friday as well as outdoor sports fields and courts to reopen for one-on-on activities, like tennis or yoga, as long as 6 feet of physical distance is maintained, also, drive-in religious, spiritual or entertainment activities are now permitted as long as attendees stay in their cars.

Hawaii to tap ‘Pandemic EBT’ program for an extra $25M in food aid (Star Advertiser, May 15 ,2020)

State officials plan to start a new program next month that will allow all families with children who receive free lunches at public schools to also get help from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps. Another roughly 20,000 households whose children receive subsidized school meals but do not now receive SNAP benefits also will be eligible for up to $10.7 million in benefits, Bhanot said. The SNAP application is here .

Honolulu officials look at allowing restaurants to reopen June 5 (Star Advertiser, May 14 2020)

Honolulu is looking for state approval to begin opening up restaurants for dine in service by June 5th.  The city is looking to open up beaches as well.

Oahu Malls and Retailers to reopen Friday (KHON, May 15 2020)

Major malls and retailers who decide to open can do so starting Friday May 15th.

Nearly 40% of low-income workers lost their jobs in March (KITV, May 15, 2020)

Nationwide, 40% of households with less than $40,000 of income reported a job loss in March.  In contrast 19% of households making $40k-$100k, and 13% making 100k or more saw job loss.

Antibody Testing For COVID-19 Now Available On Oahu (Civil Beat, May 15, 2020)

Dr. Miscovitch’s Premier Medical Group Hawaii is offering blood tests for anti-bodies to determine if you had COVID in the past.  The test is $40 unless a patient’s insurance covers it.  The bloods tests will be offered alongside the infection nose swab tests.  Testing at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex will be offered on Saturday, May 16. Testing at Kakaako Waterfront Park will be offered on Sunday, May 17. Testing at both locations will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The HEROES Act: Policy Overview and Political Prospects for the Latest COVID-19 Relief Bill (National Law Review, May 14, 2020)

There are a lot of components to the HEROES Act that was passed by the US House today, the US Senate will not pass it in its current form. However, one thing to note of the House version is that it will allow ALL non-profit types, of all sizes, to be eligible for PPP loans.