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As the rapid rise in the number of coronavirus cases stabilizes this week in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, the number of hospitalizations remains a matter of concern.
In the past month, hospitalizations have increased 3.5 times in Maryland, more than doubled in Virginia and increased by 70% in Washington.
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The DC government has $ 10 million in aid for DC residents who have fallen behind on rent payments as the pandemic devastates the economy.
Renters may be entitled to up to $ 2,000 per month in arrears of rent. The program is open to affordable housing and owners of apartment buildings with 20 units or less. Grants can cover unpaid rent from April to November.
If you need help, take note of this: you only have until December 11 to apply. Much of the grant money comes from the federal Coronavirus Help, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) and must be distributed before the end of the year.
Go here to apply.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said on Tuesday the state lost its youngest patient to COVID-19. A one-year-old boy died from the virus, Hogan said.
The governor also said the state is preparing for an increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals by making more beds available. According to models, the state could reach a record number of hospitalizations in the coming days. Currently, 1,578 residents of Maryland are hospitalized with COVID-19.
Hogan called on colleges and universities to allow students to earn credits for practical work during the pandemic. He also encouraged allowing students who have qualified for graduation to make an “early exit” from the labor market.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced new guidelines that shorten the time some people need to self-quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19.
Prior to Wednesday, anyone at risk was told to self-isolate and cut off contact with others for 14 days. The new guidelines reduce that time frame to 10 days, or just seven days if an exposed person also receives a negative COVID-19 test result. These recommendations only apply to people without symptoms.
Fourteen days is still the safest time for quarantine, as that is the time it takes for the virus to incubate, according to health officials.
However, the shorter duration could help those who need to return to work for pressing financial reasons. It could also help healthcare workers get back to their jobs faster, which would ease stress on the healthcare system.
Last month, more than 36,000 Americans died from COVID-19. By comparison, 22,000 people died from the flu throughout the season last year, according to the CDC.
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam said the Commonwealth is expecting 70,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine in the first wave. Virginia will follow CDC guidelines for a phased approach and will give the vaccine to healthcare workers and people in long-term care first – about 500,000 people.
A process is in place to figure out how to break this into smaller groups, said Dr Lilian Peake, director of the Virginia office of epidemiology. She expects to have it at the end of the week.
“Initially, we don’t have enough vaccine doses for the entire priority group,” Northam said. “We have plans in place to determine who goes first based on medical ethics and protocols created by the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association and our Medical and Medical Advisory Committee in Virginia.”
He said it would take several months for everyone to be vaccinated, but urged everyone to get vaccinated when it becomes available.
“I strongly encourage all Virginians to get vaccinated,” he said. “It’s the only way to get back to near-normal.”
Virginia works in partnership with physician offices, CVS, Walgreens and other pharmacies for distribution.
Northam said the distribution would be fair and equitable.
Northam also said he was monitoring the possibility of a post-Thanksgiving flare-up.
A CDC advisory committee voted on Tuesday that the first rounds of coronavirus vaccines go to healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities such as nursing homes.
However, the first batch of vaccine distributed in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia is unlikely to be enough to immunize all health workers in the region.
Maryland expects to receive 155,000 injections initially, about half of what is needed by healthcare workers, Gov. Larry Hogan said.
DC initially expects around 8,000 doses.
Hogan said executives face “tough decisions” about who to vaccinate first. He also said the distribution could start slowly but will pick up speed.
Prince George County is the latest local school system to delay in-person learning due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in our area.
Prince George County Public Schools say they will continue distance learning until further notice.
This delayed sending parents an investigation into the reopening of schools.
In October, a poll indicated that nearly 70% of parents were uncomfortable returning to school.
Thousands of students returned to classrooms on Tuesday in Prince William and Loudoun counties amid a coronavirus outbreak, but officials say schools are not linked to significant community spread of the virus.
“When it comes to outbreaks, in terms of evidence of transmission in a school, we don’t see that at this point,” said Diana Gulotta, spokesperson for Prince William County Schools.
George Mason University has suspended the activities of its men’s basketball team after a member of the program tested positive for COVID-19.
The positive test prompted George Mason to cancel his game against the University of Maryland which was scheduled for Friday.
What the data show
As Maryland braces for an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, Gov. Larry Hogan is calling on eligible medical students to join the fight against the virus. Here’s where the state’s hospitalizations stand on Wednesday.
Health officials report that 1,578 residents of Maryland are currently being treated for COVID-19 – a few hundred fewer than the highest number of hospitalizations ever reported in the state (1,711 on April 30). Of those hospitalized, around 22% are currently in an intensive care unit.
More than 21,000 Marylanders have been hospitalized to date.
Hospitalizations are also higher than ever in Virginia. The state recorded 1,472 hospitalizations on Wednesday. According to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, more than 24,000 people have been hospitalized and released since the start of the pandemic.
DC reported on Tuesday that 165 people had been hospitalized for COVID-19, the highest number since June.
3,847 more confirmed cases of coronavirus were reported in the region on Wednesday. Five lives were lost in Washington DC, 18 in Virginia and 42 in Maryland – the biggest 24-hour increase in deaths since June.
Seven-day moving averages continue to show signs that the spread of the virus is slowing.
DC’s moving average has now remained below its old high of 192 for four consecutive days. Maryland’s seven-day average is down to 2,171 and Virginia’s to 1,709. The two-state moving averages are about 200 cases lower than a week ago.
Local headlines on the coronavirus
Reopening of the Tracker
How to stay safe
There are ways to lower your risk of catching coronavirus. Here are the CDC guidelines:
- Anyone over 2 years old must wear a mask or face mask. Keep it on your nose and mouth.
- Wash your hands often. When you do, scrub with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. As a safeguard, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid close contact with anyone living outside your home. This means staying six feet from anyone outside your circle, even if you are wearing masks.
- Always cover coughs and sneezes.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
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