Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the US – Latest State Updates – April 21, 2020

Arkansas

As of April 20^th

Governor Asa Hutchinson has created the Governor’s Economic Recovery Task Force to develop an industry-specific strategy and make recommendations to the Governor for Arkansas’s economic recovery from the effects of COVID-19, the Governor announced at a news conference today.

The task force, established by Executive Order 20-20, will include 27 leaders from the private sector and public agencies who will examine the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and industries in the state. The task force will recommend a strategy to the Governor for our economy to shift out of low gear consistent with public-health guidance.

On Friday, Governor Hutchinson set May 4 as the date he hopes to begin to ease restrictions in Arkansas. The task force will meet next week. Steuart L. Walton, a business leader and philanthropist who holds degrees in business administration and law, will chair the committee.

“Steuart’s Arkansas roots run deep, and he knows and loves the state,” Governor Hutchinson said. “Steuart is engaged in the hospitality, manufacturing, and retail industries. He understands the needs of small business. He is engaged in philanthropy across Arkansas. He is the perfect choice to lead this task force to help restore our economy.”

Members of the Governor’s Economic Recovery Task Force are:

• Steuart Walton, Runway Group (Chair)
• Wes Ward, Department of Agriculture
• Mike Preston, Department of Commerce
• Stacy Hurst, Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism
• Ted Thomas, Public Service Commission
• Randy Zook, Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce
• Sylvester Smith, National Federation of Independent Business
• Joey Dean, Associated General Contractors of Arkansas
• Annemarie Jazic, Dillard’s Inc.
• Charlie Spakes, Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants Association
• Montine McNulty, Arkansas Hospitality Association
• Kelly Eichler, Indoor Recreational Facilities
• Deke Whitbeck, Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation
• Lance Taylor, Arkansas Activities Association
• Hunter Yurachek, University of Arkansas
• Shannon Newton, Arkansas Trucking Association
• Charles Frazier, Rock Region METRO
• Lorrie Trogden, Arkansas Bankers Association
• Dr. Sonny Tucker, Arkansas Southern Baptist Convention
• Bishop Gary Mueller, Arkansas Conference of United Methodists
• Bishop Michael Mitchell, African Methodist Episcopal Church 12th District
• Dr. Richard Abernathy, Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
• Andy Goodman, Arkansas Independent Colleges and Universities
• Andrea Henderson, Arkansas Association of Community Colleges
• Dr. Chuck Welch, Arkansas State University System
• David Wroten, Arkansas Medical Society
• Bo Ryall, Arkansas Hospital Association

Read Executive Order 20-20 HERE.

Arkansas Post-Peak Advisory Committee Goals:

1. Restoring the economy in a timely fashion (May 4^th goal to start the first phase)
2. Protecting our most vulnerable
3. Maintaining adequate healthcare capacity (increased contact tracing, more PPE)
4. Preventing resurgence in communities

Connecticut

As of April 21^st

Democratic and Republican legislative leaders announced that the regular 2020 session will not reconvene before the May 6 constitutional adjournment date.

In a joint statement, Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, Senate President Martin M. Looney, House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, and Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano said,

“The 2020 regular legislative session will adjourn without any further action, and we are already working on a plan to convene a special session in the coming months to ensure the continuity of government functions and that any necessary legislative action can be taken. Our top priority is the health and safety of the public, and we are committed to continue working in unison to stem this health crisis and do everything possible to protect the Connecticut residents we all represent.”

Governor Lamont signs 29^th executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

On Friday, Governor Lamont signed his 29th executive order. Executive Order No. 7BB enacts the following provisions:

• Further postponement of presidential preference primary to August 11: To protect the health and safety of voters, poll workers, and the most vulnerable members of the population, the presidential primary was ordered rescheduled – for the second time – to August 11, 2020. This is the same date that state and local primaries had already been scheduled to be held. Originally, the primary had been scheduled to be held April 28, and then the governor rescheduled it to June 2 with Executive Order No. 7G. Friday’s order supersedes that previously enacted order.
• Cloth face coverings or higher level of protection required in public wherever close contact is unavoidable: Effective at 8:00 p.m. on April 21, 2020, any person in a public place in Connecticut who is unable to or does not maintain a safe social distance of approximately six feet from every other person shall cover their mouth and nose with a mask or cloth face-covering. In addition, individuals shall use a mask or cloth face covering when using the services of any taxi, car, livery, ride-sharing or similar service or means of mass public transit, or while within any semi-enclosed transit stop or waiting area. The commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development will be required to update the previously issued Safe Workplace rules and Safe Store rules. Nothing in this order shall require the use of a mask or cloth face covering by anyone for whom doing so would be contrary to his or her health or safety because of a medical condition, anyone under the age of 2 years, or by an older child if the parent, guardian or person responsible for the child is unable to place the mask safely on the child’s face. If a person declines to wear a mask or face covering because of a medical condition as described above, such person shall not be required to produce medical documentation verifying the stated condition.

New partnerships formed to expedite loan processing and payments under the Connecticut Recovery Bridge Loan Program

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) has formed partnerships with SoFi, a leading online personal finance company, and Equifax, a global data, analytics and technology company, to expedite loan processing and payments – and lower costs – under the Connecticut Recovery Bridge Loan Program.

The US$50 million program was created by DECD to provide cash flow relief to small businesses and nonprofits negatively impacted by COVID-19. The DECD program has already received over 5,000 applications.

While DECD will make all lending decisions, SoFi will utilize its advanced technology capabilities to expedite all loan processing and facilitate fulfillment to ensure borrowers receive their financial assistance in a timely fashion. Equifax differentiated data assets lend further support to the program to improve the process by validating required information of recipients, credit and bank accounts. These partnerships will help DECD meet the goal to make payments by the end of April. In addition to being more efficient, this new approach lowers costs by automating the closing process.

Data updates on COVID-19 testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut.

Overall Summary	Statewide Total	Change Since Yesterday
Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 Cases	17,962	+412
COVID-19-Associated Deaths	1,127	+41
Patients Currently Hospitalized with COVID-19	1,901	-37
Patients tested for COVID-19	59,759	+1,546

Georgia

As of April 21^st

• The Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker, Commissioner Toomey held a press conference yesterday.
  • Gyms, fitness clubs and hair salons can open Friday subject to 6’ spacing.
  • Restaurants and theatres can open on Monday subject to the 6’ spacing and other guidelines to be announced later this week.
  • Bars and night clubs will remain closed. Hospitals can begin elective surgeries soon too.
  • The shelter-in-place will end this month and the elderly and medically fragile should remain quarantined until the Emergency Order expires May 13.
  • Click here to view Executive Order

• Daily State Public Health stats:
  • As of noon Tuesday, State cases are up to 19,881 confirmed cases as compared to 19,398 at 7p Monday, with 3,779 hospitalized patients as compared to 3,702 last night, and 799 deaths as compared to 774 last night.

• Per https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america/georgia, IHME now predicts that Georgia reached our peak on April 15 and that relaxed social distancing may be able to start June 15.

• A new suit has been brought in federal court to further delay the June Primary for three weeks, abandon touchscreens, allow curbside voting, provide protective equipment to poll workers, and issue paper ballots.

• A team of researchers at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine has developed a COVID-19 vaccine candidate that has proven successful in promoting an immune response in early test models.

• Some Emory University patients are receiving an antiviral drug, remdesivir, that was previously tested in humans with Ebola.

Kansas

As of April 21^st

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly just issued another Executive Order – “Temporarily prohibiting mass gatherings of more than 10 people to limit the spread of COVID-19 and rescinding Executive Order 20-18.” It can be found here. The Kansas Legislative Research Department released their State General Fund estimates for FY 2020 and FY2021. The short memorandum can be found here.

North Carolina

As of April 20^th

As of Sunday, April 19, Coronavirus deaths in North Carolina have surpassed flu deaths this season.

• Laboratory confirmed Coronavirus cases: 6,493
• Coronavirus deaths: 172
• Currently hospitalized: 465
• Completed tests: 78,772
• NC Counties affected: 93/100
• Realtime COVID-19 Data for NC

NC Legislators to Convene in April, But Limit Public Access (WRAL) In balancing the need to reopen the legislature with health and safety concerns, the General Assembly will limit access to the Legislative Building and the Legislative Office Building to members, staff and credentialed media beginning April 20, 2020 and extending through May 8, 2020. People entering the legislative building will also have their temperatures taken.

NC House Leaders Want to Expand Medicaid-But Only to Coronavirus Patients (Raleigh News & Observer) A committee in North Carolina’s state House plans to unveil next week a draft bill that addresses the needs of various organizations working on the front lines of the deadly pandemic — including a limited expansion of Medicaid for uninsured COVID-19 patients.

State Receives US$2 Billion in Federal Virus Relief (The Pilot) The CARES Act provided US$150 billion to states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, and eligible units of local government, based on population. The money is the first disbursement from the federal government of more than US$4 billion slated for North Carolina. The North Carolina General Assembly will decide how the state’s money will be spent as part of legislation expected near the end of the month. In the interim, the Investment Management Division at the Department of the State Treasurer will invest the money in a short-term investment fund (STIF) that is high quality, low risk and interest bearing.

Officials Identify Seven Mecklenburg County Nursing Homes with Coronavirus Outbreaks (Charlotte Observer) Seven nursing homes in Mecklenburg County have ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19, county health officials have announced. It’s the first time they’ve identified facilities with outbreaks, defined as two or more cases. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in North Carolina jumped to 6,140 on Saturday, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. Almost one in five are in Mecklenburg, at 1,151 cases.

Feds Send Millions in Coronavirus Aid to NC Airports (Durham Herald Sun) Airports in North Carolina will receive nearly US$284 million from the federal government to help make up for the loss of revenue caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

Overcrowding During Pandemic Forces Many NC State Parks to Close (Carolina Public Press) Roughly three-quarters of the state’s parks have been shut down as some units experienced double and triple normal visitation levels. And, despite the closures and risk of spreading COVID-19, the disease caused visitors are still coming as North Carolinians seek refuge from home isolation at state public land units from the coast to the mountains. The rush of visitors has made it difficult to maintain facilities, collect trash and clean restrooms with limited staff and a lack of personal protective equipment.

ReOpen NC Rally Planned for Tuesday in Raleigh (WRAL) Protesters calling for a quicker reopening of the North Carolina economy amid the coronavirus pandemic plan to rally Tuesday near the governor’s mansion and say they’ll do so every Tuesday as needed. Their attorney said members plan to exercise social distancing at the 11 a.m. protest.

Other News

Legislative Error Wipes Out Bond Program (Outer Banks Voice) Coastal officials said a legislative error last year eliminated a key funding mechanism for beach renourishment and other public projects, which if not fixed could have a big impact on future plans.

Leaders of Teacher Protest Group Now in Charge of NC Association of Educators (Raleigh News & Observer) The North Carolina Association of Educators announced Friday that Tamika Walker Kelly had been elected president of the group and that Bryan Proffitt had been elected vice president. They had run as a ticket and are the co-chairs of NCAE Organize 2020 Racial & Social Justice Caucus, which helped organize protests in May 2018 and May 2019 that caused schools to shut down across the state while educators marched on state lawmakers.

Charlotte Diocese Faces 2 Suits Over Alleged Priest Abuse (AP) Two lawsuits have been filed against the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte claiming two boys were sexually abused in separate instances by the two priests they sought out for help with personal problems decades ago. The lawsuits, both signed by Charlotte attorney Sam McGee, each seek in excess of US$25,000 in damages.

Tennessee

As of April 20^th

The total number of positive cases in the state stands at 7,238 with the most cases in Shelby County (Memphis-1,839) followed by Davidson County (Nashville-1,675). There are 152 confirmed deaths in the state and 730 hospitalizations. Despite a slower rate of growth in much of the state recently,Nashville saw a 25 percent increase in confirmed cases over the weekend. “This tells us that over the past week there is a greater risk of infection than the previous week,” according to the head of Nashville’s coronavirus task force.

Today, Gov. Bill Lee announced that stay-at-home orders will expire next week in all but six of Tennessee’s 95 counties. The counties that will continue to be covered by local bans on nonessential business are Shelby, Davidson, Knox, Hamilton, Madison, and Sullivan.

“While I am not extending the safer at home order past the end of April, we are working directly with our major metropolitan areas to ensure they are in a position to reopen as soon and safely as possible,” said Lee. “Social distancing works, and as we open up our economy it will be more important than ever that we keep social distancing as lives and livelihoods depend on it.”

Over the weekend, more than 11,000 Tennesseans were tested for the coronavirus after the state opened testing sites for the general public regardless of traditional symptoms. The expanded testing will continue for the next two weekends and will be available throughout the week at local health departments. A full list of testing sites are listed HERE.

Last week, Gov. Lee established two new groups- one to provide guidance on how to safely reopen the state’s economy and the other to ensure proper fiscal management of stimulus funds received from the CARES Act. The Stimulus Financial Accountability Group, which will oversee the distribution of the approximately US$2.3 billion the state plans to receive, includes the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, four legislators (2 from each party), the state comptroller, F&A Commissioner and the head of the Unified Command. The Economic Recovery Group will be led by the Commissioner of Tourism and consists of other state commissioners and industry representatives from the state chamber, NFIB, TN Farm Bureau, TN Hospital Association and TN Bankers Association, among others.

A new report today indicated that a plan will be presented to the Governor to begin reopening restaurants on May 1. The proposal includes capping capacity to 50 percent for two weeks and then 75 percent for another two weeks before returning to full capacity. As the article points out, some prominent restaurant owners in Memphis expressed skepticism and resistance, however.

Texas

As of April 21st

Governor Abbott conducted a news briefing at 2 p.m. today.  Gov. Abbott began with comments about oil prices and the lack up demand due to economic slowdown and the international oversupply.  Abbott discussed his contacts with the White House and federal efforts to address Saudi and Russian production, purchases into the strategic petroleum reserve and other federal efforts to help oil-producing communities.    

Today’s COVID Texas numbers per DSHS:

20,196 confirmed cases (4,977 in Harris County/Houston)

6,487 estimated recovered 

205,399 total tested

1,419 currently in TX hospitals (notably this number is staying relatively constant)

COVID+ cases in 198 of Texas’s 254 counties. 

Abbott and Drs. Hellerstedt and Zerwas mentioned that Texas has a low COVID death rate and low and steady hospitalization numbers compared to most other US states.  Dr. Zerwas mentioned that the COVID+ doubling times has increased to every 15 days, showing a slowing in the rate of spread.    

Texas current has more than 21,000 hospital beds, 2,377 ICU beds and 8,000+ ventilators currently available in Texas.  Additionally, in the past week, Texas has acquired and is distributing 4.8m masks, 453,000 face shields, and 2 million gloves.

Governor Abbott spend a good deal of time discussing economic recovery and the 481,000 job openings currently posted at www.WorkInTexas.com.  He noted that Texas has filled 1,579,000 unemployment benefit claims – 80% of eligible claims to date – totaling more than $1.4 billion. 

Abbott also discussed the state’s health care personnel volunteer registry https://www.texasdisastervolunteerregistry.org where health professionals can sign up for voluntary assignments AND hospitals, nursing homes and other providers can sign up to get additional staff support if needed. 

Texas has been approved by USDA so that those qualifying from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can purchase groceries online.  See: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2020/04/21/kentucky-missouri-and-texas-added-innovative-snap-online-pilot.

More testing is coming thanks to 60+ new drive-thru testing locations around Texas, and with support from 25 teams made up from 1,200 Texas National Guard personnel supporting testing.    

As of April 17^th

Governor Abbott conducted a news conference at Noon today in the Texas Capitol, joined by Lt Governor Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, Health Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt and others.

Gov. Abbott laid out 3 new executive orders outlining processes and plans to get the Texas economy reopened while keeping Texans safe from COVID-19.

Today’s COVID-19 Texas numbers:

• 17,371 confirmed cases (4,306 in Harris County/Houston)
• 428  fatalities
• 4,190 estimated recovered
• 169,536 total tested
• 1,522 currently in TX hospitals

COVID+ cases in 192 of Texas’s 254 counties.

AT PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY: The Governor said his decisions are based on Data and Doctors and that health and safety will continue to be the #1 priority. He expressed confidence that Texas “can corral the coronavirus”.

Today’s executive orders lay out steps aimed at the safe, strategic opening of the Texas economy, including:

A temporary “Retail-To-Go” model that will allow retail outlets in Texas to reopen beginning Friday, April 24^th for pickup and delivery by and to customers. See additional Guidelines for Retailers from Texas DSHS attached or at www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus.

Prohibitions against visiting nursing homes, state supported living centers, assisted living facilities and long-term care facilities continue.

Schools will remain closed through the current school year. Teachers may go into the classroom for video instruction, to perform administrative duties, and to clean out their classrooms.

Loosened restrictions on surgeries. Beginning at 11:59pm on April 21 through 11:59pm on May 8, all licensed health care professionals and all licensed health care facilities must continue to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not medically necessary to diagnose or correct a serious medical condition of, or to preserve the life of a patient. New exceptions include:

Any procedure that, if performed in accordance with the commonly accepted standard of clinical practice, would not deplete the hospital capacity or the PPE needed to cope with COVID-19, or

Any surgery or procedure performed in a licensed health care facility that has certified in writing to Texas HHSC both (1) that it will reserve at least 25 percent of its hospital capacity for treatment of COVID-19 patients, accounting for the range of clinical severity of COVID-19 patients, and (2) that it will not request any PPE from any public source—whether federal, state, or local—for the duration of the COVID-19 disaster.

State parks will reopen on Monday, April 20 with strict guidelines including requiring visitors to wear face coverings, maintain a six-foot distance from individuals outside of their party, and prohibiting the gathering of groups larger than five.

The current stay-at-home order continues through April 30^th. Subsequent orders are likely to modify stay-at-home. Look for the next such order to be issued April 27^th.

The current order defines “essential services” as those included in the US Department of Homeland Security’s March 28, 2020 Guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce. Additionally, businesses can apply to the Texas Division of Emergency Management to be added to the list of essential services. (See www.tdem.texas.gov/essentialservices).

Texas has also provided Guidelines for Houses of Worship During the COVID-19 Crisis from the Texas Governor and Attorney General.

Governor Abbott also established a Strike Force To Open Texas — a team of nationally recognized medical experts and private and public leaders who will advise the Governor on safely and strategically reopening the state of Texas.

Dallas businessman James Huffines will lead the advisory strike force and Mike Toomey will serve as Chief Operating Officer. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Comptroller Glenn Hegar will serve as consulting members. Other members of the task force include:

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Commissioner John Hellerstedt, MD, as Chief Medical Officer of the strike force. Dr. Hellerstedt will be supported by three Chief Medical Advisors:

• John Zerwas, MD, Executive Vice-Chancellor for Health Affairs at the University of Texas System
• Mark McClellan, MD, PhD, Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner and U.S. Medicaid and Medicare Administrator
• Parker Hudson, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at Dell Medical School and program director for the Internal Medicine Residency

These health experts will develop a medical architecture to comprehensively test and trace COVID-19 that will enable Texans to gradually and safely begin the process of returning to work and other activities.

The medical team will work alongside a Special Advisory Council made up of 39 business leaders representing the state’s regions and industries. Special Advisory Council members include:

• Arcilia Acosta: President and CEO, CARCON Industries & Construction
• Paul Andrews, Jr.: Founder and CEO, TTI Inc.
• Mark Bivins: Rancher, partner in Corsino Cattle Company
• Kathy Britton: CEO and Owner, Perry Homes
• Brad Brookshire: Chairman and CEO, Brookshire Grocery Co.
• J. Bruce Bugg, Jr.: Chairman, Texas Transportation Commission
• Alonzo Cantu: President & CEO of Cantu Construction
• Bobby Cox: Owner and operator, Bobby Cox Companies, Inc.
• Adriana Cruz: Executive Director, Economic Development & Tourism Division, Office of the Governor
• Michael Dell: Chairman and CEO, Dell Technologies
• Scott Dueser: Chairman, President & CEO, First Financial Bank
• Don Evans: Chairman of the President George W. Bush Foundation, Chairman of Permian Strategic Partnership
• Tilman Fertitta: Chairman, CEO, and sole owner, Landry’s, Inc.
• Richard Fisher: Senior Advisor, Barclays and Former President & CEO, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
• Rick Francis: Chairman of the Board, WestStar Bank Holding Company, Inc.
• Printice Gary: Founding Partner/Principal and CEO, Carleton Companies
• Brad Heffington: Owner of Heffington Farms, Inc. and Triple T Irrigation, Inc.
• Jeffery D. Hildebrand: Executive Chairman and Founder, Hilcorp Energy Company
• Nancy Kinder: President & CEO, Kinder Foundation
• Tom Luce: Founder and Chairman, Texas 2036
• Marc McDougal: CEO, McDougal Companies
• Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale: Owner, Gallery Furniture
• Drayton McLane: Chairman, McLane Group
• Elaine Mendoza: Founder, President & CEO of Conceptual MindWorks, Inc
• Balous Miller: Owner, Bill Miller Bar-B-Q Restaurants
• Carla Moran: Ramar Communications
• Dennis Nixon: CEO and Chairman of International Bank of Commerce
• David Oliveira: Partner at Roerig, Oliveira & Fisher, L.L.P.
• Ross Perot, Jr.: Chairman, The Perot Group
• Kevin D. Roberts, Ph.D.: Executive Director, Texas Public Policy Foundation
• Robert B. Rowling: Owner and Chairman, TRT Holdings, Inc.
• Kendra Scott: Founder and CEO, Kendra Scott
• Robert F. Smith: Founder, Chairman & CEO, Vista Equity Partners
• Sam L. Susser: Chairman of BancAffiliated, Inc.
• Massey Villarreal: CEO and President, Precision Task Group, Inc.
• Kirk Watson: Founding Dean of the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs
• Marc Watts: President, The Friedkin Group
• Graham Weston: Former Chairman of Rackspace Hosting Inc.
• Sanjiv Yajnik: President of the Financial Services Division, Capital One

Virginia

As of April 20^th

• Total cases: 8,990
• Hospitalizations: 1,500
• Deaths: 300

The latest:

• The number of new reported COVID-19 cases has declined three days in a row in Virginia.
• Legislators are set to reconvene on Wednesday to consider Gov. Ralph Northam’s amendments to legislation approved earlier this year by the General Assembly.
• Expanded testing remains a challenge.

Virginia has posted three consecutive days in which the number of new reported COVID-19 cases had declined, the first sign that the commonwealth may be on track to satisfy the 14-day period of declining cases the governor said is needed before businesses can start reopening.

Gov. Ralph Northam has said Virginia will follow a phased approach to restarting economic activity consistent with the guidelines released last week by President Donald Trump. That process, Northam said, will be based on data, involve consultations with governors in neighboring states and the District of Columbia, and begin after Virginia posts a downward trend in new positive cases for 14 days.

On Monday, Northam also announced creation of a work group charged with identifying ways to ramp up testing across the state.

Non-essential businesses in Virginia – including indoor recreation and entertainment businesses, hair salons, and barber shops, museums and fitness centers – will remain closed until May 8, and a stay-at-home order remains in effect until June 10. Public schools are closed for the rest of the academic year.

Legislative session

State legislators are set to reconvene in Richmond on Wednesday, April 22, to consider the governor’s amendments to the budget and other bills, including his decision to delay a minimum wage hike and the ability of local government employees to unionize until May 2021. The governor’s budget amendments include striking about US$2 billion in proposed new spending over the biennium as the pandemic rendered revenue forecasts useless and caused economic activity to collapse.

The House of Delegates plans to reconvene outside the state Capitol; the Senate is scheduled to meet at the Science Museum of Virginia. Officials are evaluating whether to hold the session remotely and use electronic voting .

Upcoming elections

Legislators also will consider the governor’s proposal to push next month’s municipal elections to November as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some Democrats, however, have taken exception to the proposal and suggested rescheduling sooner.

Existing law authorizes the governor to delay primary elections by two weeks, and Northam has already announced he is exercising that authority with respect to congressional primaries scheduled for June 9. Those elections will now be held on June 23.

Unemployment

Nearly 105,000 Virginians filed initial claims for unemployment benefits in the week ending April 11, according to data from the Virginia Employment Commission.

The figure represents a slight decrease from the week ending April 4, which may have represented the peak for filings. The four-week total of initial claims registered at 410,762, with the majority of those Virginians working in the accommodation and food services industries. Other heavily affected industries include retail and healthcare, which have led to younger workers and female workers being disproportionally impacted, the commission said.

The agency has struggled to connect surging number of unemployed Virginians with the resources they need.

About 50 people gathered on April 16 near the governor’s mansion at Capitol Square to protest Northam’s response to the outbreak. The governor dismissed the demonstration, saying that participants had put themselves and others at risk and that social distancing efforts were working as intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Last week, Northam signed Executive Order No. 57, which allows for greater use of telemedicine to ease the burden on Virginia’s healthcare system. The order also relaxes restrictions on nurse practitioners and provides more flexibility for doctors licensed in other states to practice at Virginia facilities. The first shipment of personal protective gear – 24,000 N95 masks, as well as gowns and gloves – secured through the state’s recent US$27 million contract with manufacturer Northfield Medical was being distributed to Virginia hospitals, with additional shipments expected in coming weeks, the governor said. Virginia has received US$1.6 billion in federal aid, which will be distributed to local governments, and authorization from FEMA to use hotel rooms for first-responders.

West Virginia

As of April 20^th

Independent Contractors and Self-Employed individuals will be able to apply for PUA benefits beginning at 10pm this Friday night, April 24^th

Wisconsin

As of April 20^th

Gov. Evers Announces Badger Bounce Back Plan

Gov. Tony Evers today announced Wisconsin’s “Badger Bounce Back” plan which outlines the criteria for Wisconsin to be able to reopen its economy in phases and includes steps to make sure workers and businesses are prepared to reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.

Gov. Evers directed Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to issue Emergency Order #31 establishing the process and outlining the phases of the plan. The emergency order is available here.

“As we’ve learned over the past month, in the most difficult of circumstances, Wisconsinites will rise to the occasion, helping each other and working together to do what’s best for our families, our neighbors, and our communities,” said Gov. Evers. “That’s what the Badger Bounce Back is all about: our resilience as a people and as a state. I am excited and hopeful about this plan. While being safe at home continues to be important, this plan is an all-out attack on the virus and it begins the process of preparing our businesses and our workforce for the important planning that will result in the safe and logical reopening of our economy.”

The Phases:

• Safer at Home. Currently in effect, as established by Emergency Orders # 12 and #28.
• Phase One.
  Phase One will include allowing mass gatherings of up to 10 people; restaurants opening with social distancing requirements; removal of certain restrictions including retail restrictions for Essential Businesses and Operations; additional operations for non-essential businesses; K-12 schools to resume in- person operation; and child care settings resuming full operation.
• Phase Two.
  Phase Two will include allowing mass gatherings of up to 50 people; restaurants resuming full operation; bars reopening with social distancing requirements; non-essential businesses resuming operations with social distancing requirements; and post- secondary education institutions may resume operation.
• Phase Three.
  Phase Three will resume all business activity and gatherings, with minimal protective and preventative measures in place for the general public and more protective measures for vulnerable populations.

Gating criteria

• SYMPTOMS:
  Downward trajectory of influenza-like illnesses (ILI) reported within a 14-day period AND downward trajectory of COVID-19-like syndromic cases reported within a 14-day period
• CASES:
  Downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period
• HOSPITALS:
  Treat all patients without crisis care AND Robust testing programs in place for at-risk healthcare workers, with decreasing numbers of infected healthcare workers

Of note from the media availability:

• The Governor said it is unlikely the state would see the required decrease in cases and increase in testing move to the first phase of lifting restrictions before Tuesday, May 26^th.
• When asked about whether or not there was spread caused by in-person voting on April 7^th, Sec. Palm said the state has not yet seen evidence of an outbreak of coronavirus cases related to in-person voting during the April 7 election.
• When asked about protests, the Governor said he respected people’s first amendment rights and hopes that they employ social distancing requirements.

Reaction to Governor Evers’ plan:

Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Finance John Nygren (R-Marinette)

“In the echoes of the public outcry on main streets in every corner of Wisconsin, Governor Evers finally released his plan for reopening our state’s economy,” said Rep. Nygren. “This announcement by Governor Evers illustrates that he admits he went too far and did so without direction or any plan.”

“Last week I told Governor Evers that Wisconsin citizens were looking for a lighthouse in the fog,” said Rep. Nygren. “Unfortunately, today’s plan misses the mark and does nothing to ease the minds and hearts of thousands of unemployed Wisconsinites. In fact, it will prolong this economic crisis.”

“The Governor’s plan calls for 85,000 tests a week, but Wisconsin has only done 51,102 tests since the start of the public health emergency,” said Rep. Nygren. “How does the Governor plan on increasing testing capacity so significantly? Is there enough demand to even reach 85,000 tests per week? Currently, Wisconsin has the capacity for 7,238 tests a day, yet only 1,433 tests were reported today. The Governor’s administration even admitted that demand for current testing is nowhere near the 7,238 in capacity they have currently. So, why the need for 85,000 a week? This plan leaves more questions than answers.”

“At the press conference today, the Governor gave no answers to when his benchmarks would be met, giving no clear direction at all. Where are the metrics and targets he is tracking to get us to the point of reopening? I strongly encourage Governor Evers to go back to the drawing board and come back with a workable plan that provides hope and relief to the people of Wisconsin. Far too many people are struggling, left in the turbulent wake of Governor Evers’s policies.” (Link to release)

Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow

“Governor Evers’ new order makes it clear that he does not plan to open Wisconsin any time in the near future. Meeting the requirements outlined just to reach Phase One of his plan may be months away as they are impossible to meet with current testing capabilities, with no guidance on how the state will get the economy back on track.

“This plan continues to leave millions of struggling Wisconsin families in the dark about how their livelihoods will be protected, while ignoring the common sense measures we can take to protect the physical and economic health of residents.

“Wisconsinites know the risks of the pandemic, but they also know the effect of losing their livelihood and economic security as a result of it. I am calling on Governor Evers to take a more aggressive approach to getting Wisconsin back to work.” (Link to release)

Gov. Evers Announces Wisconsin is Taking Big Steps to Increase COVID-19 Testing Capacity

This week, plans are in place to greatly accelerate testing in Wisconsin, including:

• 11 National Guard teams serving a rapid response role in hotspots and underserved areas of the state will collect specimens for COVID-19 testing. This weekend, one of those teams began using 1,100 Exact Sciences test supplies to offer testing to all inmates and staff at the Milwaukee House of Correction to help control the outbreak there. Starting today, two teams of citizen soldiers will also be staffing standup specimen collection sites at Milwaukee Health Services Inc.’s clinics on Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. and Silver Spring Road.
• The state is working with Tribal partners to ensure that their communities receive testing they need. Starting this week, 1,000 tests will be delivered per week to Tribal health clinics.
• Exact Sciences is devoting a significant portion of its lab capacity and resources to COVID-19 tests processing. This will enable them to provide the state with approximately 20,000 tests and processing each week, which will be distributed to health care systems throughout the State. This was a major effort by Exact Sciences undertaken in a very short amount of time.
• Epic is providing crucial assistance in our effort to distribute Exact Sciences’ tests by providing the interoperability necessary to connect healthcare providers with Exact to ensure timely processing of tests and reporting of test results.
• Promega is providing major support by sourcing high demand reagents and materials for a number of labs in the state including Exact Sciences’ lab. In addition to these materials, they’ve also shared equipment and provided invaluable problem-solving skills. They are a critical part of the supply chain in supporting expanded testing.
• This week, Marshfield Clinic Health System will be working on ramping up to process 10,000 tests per week from providers around the State.
• 2,200 test collection supplies and PPE are headed to Green Bay in response to an outbreak with significant risk potential to the community. Having these tools is essential to the local health department and healthcare system response.
• In partnership with Exact Sciences and the Community Health Centers in Milwaukee, the state is supporting additional testing capacity. The Health Centers will work first with their patients, and as additional capacity becomes available, will broaden their outreach to support access to testing for others in need. Community Health Centers have networks within the community and with other social service organizations and will work through those channels to support additional testing.
• Wisconsin Diagnostic Labs provided much-appreciated support to the 16^th Street Community Health Clinic drive-thru testing project. They’re also expanding their capacity and offering help to clinical partners experiencing challenges with access to lab capacity.

Through additional procurement efforts by the state, Wisconsin will be receiving over 250,000 additional test collection supplies in the coming weeks. (Link to release)

Updated numbers released on Monday:

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Wisconsin Hospital Association released updated numbers on Sunday, of note are the following:

• 46,603 negative test results (cumulative)
• +1,280 over reported on Sunday
• 4,499 positive test results (cumulative)
• +154 over reported on Sunday
• 230 deaths (cumulative)
• +10 over reported on Sunday
• 357 Current Hospital Admissions (142 patients in ICU)
• Hospital admissions are unchanged since Sunday (+5 ICU patients)

Sources:

Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) COVID-19 Situational Awareness Update site
DHS COVID-19: County Data; https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/county.htm

Daily Numbers:

Cumulative Numbers: