COVID-19 Compilation – May 28, 2020 Courtesy of Cornerstone Government Affairs Common Acronyms Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Central Command (CENTCOM), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) Washington, D.C. • HRSA awarded $15 million to 52 Tribes, Tribal organizations, urban Indian health organizations, and other health services providers to Tribes across 20 states to prepare, prevent, and respond to COVID-19 in rural tribal communities. View the list of awards here. • The FDA is hosting a virtual Town Hall on June 3rd at 12:15 PM for clinical laboratories and commercial manufacturers that are developing or have developed diagnostic tests for COVID-19. The purpose of this Town Hall is to help answer technical questions about the development and validation of tests for COVID- 19. • Vice President Mike Pence met with members of the American Camp Association by phone and led a discussion with camp owners and operators across the country to discuss the approach to safely and responsibly reopening summer camps amid COVID-19. A brief readout is available here. • The CDC published more new COVID-19 documents to its dashboard today. Some highlights are: screening for COVID-19 at homeless shelters and encampments, how to wash cloth face coverings, and resources for child care, schools, and youth programs to help plan for reopening. • The CDC has made some notable updates to their employer guidance for office buildings, which includes steps like testing temperatures every day and making sure desks are six feet apart. • The House made history yesterday as members cast the first-ever remote floor votes. • There are many, many COVID-19 hearings slated to take place this week and next: o Friday (5/29) 1 PM House Transportation and Infrastructure, "The Status of the U.S. Maritime Supply Chain During the COVID-19 Pandemic" o Tuesday (6/2) 10 AM Senate Judiciary, "Best practices for incarceration and detention during COVID-19" o Tuesday (6/2) 11:30 AM House Energy and Commerce, "On the Front Line: How Governors are Battling the COVID-19 Pandemic" o Tuesday (6/2) 2:30 PM Senate Finance, "COVID-19 and Beyond: Oversight of the FDA’s Foreign Drug Manufacturing Inspection Process" o Wednesday (6/3) 10 AM Senate Small Business, "Perspectives from Main Street: COVID-19’s Impact on Small Business" o Wednesday (6/3) 11 AM House Judiciary, "Protecting the Right to Vote During the COVID-19 Pandemic" o Wednesday (6/3) 1 PM House Budget, "Addressing the Economic Impacts of COVID-19: Views from Two Former CBO Directors" o Wednesday (6/3) 2:30 PM Senate Commerce, "The State of Transportation and Critical Infrastructure: Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic" o Thursday (6/4) 10 AM Senate HELP, "COVID-19: Going Back to College Safely" o Thursday (6/4) 1 PM House Administration, "The Impact of COVID-19 on Voting Rights and Election Administration: Ensuring Safe and Fair Elections" • There has not yet been movement in the Senate on an additional supplemental appropriations package. The House did pass a bill today that would make it easier for small businesses to utilize funds under the new Paycheck Protection Program, but Senate leaders have not signaled support for the measure. The House legislation would give businesses more time to have the loans forgiven and paid off by the U.S. government. For an in-depth briefing on the legislative landscape, please refer to the COVID-19 Legislative Update, which is published on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. If you do not receive the Legislative Update and would like to subscribe, email [email protected] Updates from the States • Out of the cases under investigation detected by U.S. surveillance, there are 1,698,523 total cases and 100,446 deaths The CDC data closes out the day before reporting. • COVID-19 infections and deaths are still on the rise in more than a dozen states. • Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) approved several proposals from mayors across the state to reopen more businesses and operations under public health guidelines. • Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed an EO which implements Phase 2 of the Stay Safe MN plan. Phase 2 includes outdoor dining at restaurants and bars to start June 1st with safety measures and capacity limits. Personal services like salons and barbershops can also open on June 1st at 25 percent capacity. • New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) issued an EO authorizing businesses to deny entry to inidividuals not wearing masks or face-coverings. • Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced that the state will remain in phase one of its reopening for a minimum of another week, while Northern Virginia can enter phase one of reopening on Friday. Gov. Northam also signed an EO requiring masks in indoor spaces. • Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced that assisted living and intermediate care facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities can allow outdoor visitation beginning June 8th. • Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) announced that movie theaters and bars will be allowed to open on Saturday, two weeks earlier than originally announced. Gatherings of up to 50 people will also be allowed, but businesses must follow social distancing requirements. • Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) announced that phase two of the state's reopening will begin on June 1st, including indoor dining at 50 percent capacity and personal services at limited capacity. • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said that starting tomorrow, sports fans will be allowed to attend games at outdoor venues in most counties in the state, so long as occupancy is limited to 25 percent. Fans still cannot attend indoor sporting events. • Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) said today that schools in his state will allow in-person classes in the fall. Details are forthcoming. • Useful state data: o The NYT is tracking which states are reopening and which are still shut down. o These charts show cumulative coronavirus cases and deaths for metropolitan areas over time. o Use Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 U.S. map as a resource for media, policymakers, and communities to view a collection of critical public health data in one online destination and better understand and track the COVID-19 pandemic in populations both large and small across the country. o NASHP has developed a COVID-19 State Action Center which serves as a state-level policy dashboard. Governing is also keeping a running tally of coronavirus news and impacts at the intersection of the health and economic crises in the states and localities. o This site from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides state-level information on cases/deaths, social distancing measures, health policy actions, and more. o This resource from Bloomberg Law is a database of State Quarantine and Public Health Laws related to the COVID-19 response. o This series of maps shows how states are responding to COVID-19, and this tracker, created and maintained by MultiState Associates, has an up-to-date list of executive orders and various travel restrictions. o Finally, this site offers COVID-19 projections assuming full social distancing and can be broken down by state. Military/Defense • President Trump announced he will extend National Guard orders authorizing domestic COVID-19 response missions through mid-August amid concerns that a previous end date would have complicated state support missions and denied the Guardsmen benefits. • Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley said some service members who test positive for antibodies may be asked to donate plasma for treatment of their fellow troops. • The Air Force has delayed the date airmen are required to wear certain parts of the new Operational Camouflage Uniform in an effort to reduce stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. • The Navy’s internal investigation into the COVID-19 outbreak aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the firing of the carrier’s captain has been completed, but is not expected to be publicized until decisions are made about restoring Capt. Brett Crozier to command of the Roosevelt. • Defense Sec. Esper said the DoD’s response to a potential second wave of COVID-19 will involve more targeted aid for cities and states and possibly shorter quarantine times for troops. • Top DoD officials held a town hall meeting to answer questions about COVID-19 from service members, DoD civilians, and family members. • Nine Senate Democrats sent a letter to Defense Sec. Esper requesting a spending plan for the remaining money allocated to the DoD under the CARES Act. International Affairs • Spain's Health Minister said the country will start lifting restrictions on Monday. • Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that there will be a comprehensive easing of restrictions starting June 1st. Restaurants and cafes will be allowed to reopen on June 1st, but bars and hookah cafés will remain closed. Additionally, a travel restriction prohibiting entry and exits from major metropolitan areas including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir will be lifted. • French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said parks will reopen starting this Saturday, and beaches, lakes, sporting facilities, museums, and monuments will reopen on June 2nd. He added that gatherings must be limited to 10 people and the capacity of outdoor spaces will be limited to 5,000 people, under the condition that social distancing rules are enforced.