As of 3 pm today (5/1), the amount of worldwide cases have increased to 3.3 million with over 275 thousand deaths. Nationally in the U.S,. 1.12 million cases with over 65 thousand deaths. In Colorado, 15,284 total cases with 777 total deaths. The sad part is many retirement and nursing homes worldwide exhibit over 40% of the cases and deaths of these seniors.
Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, & Delaware are the faster spreading virus states and probably won’t see a peak until late May or early June. Some of these states have stay at home orders and some just have social distancing guidelines. Apparently, their younger generations are not following the procedures as the states with stricter requirements are doing much better with less cases and deaths.
President Trump is pressured to investigate China’s involvement of the virus outbreak. His staff feels China’s Institute of Virology in Wuhan may be at fault for causing the COVID-10 pandemic that began last December, but others feel a caged animal meat market may have been the cause. More investigation will eventually link the source. Regardless, more pressure by many states and countries will likely penalize China with a stiff fine of several trillion dollars for the worldwide economic problem.
The Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization for Gilead Sciences ‘remdesivir’ drug to treat the coronavirus, President Donald Trump announced today. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases released results from its study showing Covid-19 patients who took remdesivir usually recovered after 11 days, four days faster than those who didn’t take the drug. Gilead also released preliminary results from its own study, showing at least 50% of the patients treated with a five-day dosage of remdesivir improved.
Delta, Alaska, United, American, and Southwest will start requiring face masks this month, establishing a new standard as the industry fights to win back customers during the coronavirus pandemic. The biggest five carriers are following JetBlue Airways, which said April 27 that travelers starting next week would have to cover their noses and mouths during trips.
Some workers at Amazon, Target and Instacart staged protests and sick-outs Friday to demand a safer work environment and better pay during the coronavirus outbreak. The protests are taking place in New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon and other states. Michigan workers are protesting with some protestors bringing guns to force the government to reopen businesses.
Georgia has already allowed businesses like hair and nail salons, restaurants and gyms to open with social distancing restrictions. Alabama has allowed some limited openings, and Texas and Colorado permitted many companies to reopen on Friday. Around the country owners are recalling laid-off workers although they can’t resume full operations yet; with government loan money arriving, companies can pay their workers again. Employee safety is a priority as small and midsize businesses rehire laid-off employees and get back to work and many owners realize that supplying masks and gloves won’t be enough.
Please Stay Home, Safe, and Healthy unless you need to work at another place! Be sure to wear your facemasks in public places!