On 15 occasions this week AlertsUSA subscribers were notified via SMS messages to their mobile devices regarding safety and security matters. 13 these alerts dealt with the worsening domestic and international public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus.
STAY AY HOME ORDERS
Beginning last Sunday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of new orders issued by the governors of Ohio and Louisiana for their residents to 'Stay at Home' in order to minimize human to human transmission of the COVID-19 coronavirus. With the addition of Colorado and North Carolina later in the week, this brings to 26 the number of states officially urging all but essential workers to stay at home and practice social distancing.
Also this week, President Trump signed major disaster declarations for CA, FL, TX, NJ, MD, SC, PR and others, formally opening the door for increased federal assistance to supplement state, local, and tribal recovery efforts in the areas affected by the coronavirus.
DON'T COME HERE
On Tuesday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of Florida Governor DeSantis' intent to sign an executive order requiring mandatory 14-day self-isolation for anyone traveling to Florida whose point of departure originated in an area with substantial community spread of the coronavirus, to include the New York Tri-State Area. This executive order specifically spells out that Florida is experiencing an increase in individuals fleeing from states where "shelter-in-place" orders are being implemented.
Later in the week, Governor DeSantis ordered the establishment of checkpoints along Florida's major roadways in order to identify and inform individuals driving in from the New York Tri-State Area, as well Louisiana, of the mandatory requirement to self-quarantine for two weeks. Similar action was taken by the governor of Rhode Island, who called on the National Guard and State police to issue these notices at all major travel hubs as well as the State's roadways.
MILITARY RESPONSE
Also on Tuesday, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy issued deployment orders to three Army hospital centers. The orders affect the 531st Hospital from Fort Campbell, Kentucky; the 627th Hospital from Fort Carson, Colorado; and the 9th Hospital from Fort Hood, Texas, which will deploy to New York and Washington state. All of these hospital units are active duty,
On Wednesday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified the Department of Defense had enacted a 60-day stop movement order for all uniformed and civilian personnel and their sponsored family members overseas. Here again, the measure is taken to aid in further prevention of the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), to protect U.S. personnel and preserve operational readiness.
Quoting from the DoD media release on the order:
"Building upon previously enacted movement restrictions governing foreign travel, permanent change of station moves, temporary duty and personal leave, this stop movement order will also impact exercises, deployments, redeployments and other global force management activities. Approximately 90,000 Service Members slated to deploy or redeploy over the next 60 days will likely be impacted by this most recent order."
On Friday, subscribers were also notified President Trump had ordered select reserve and individual ready reserve units of the armed forces to active duty. The Executive Order gives the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, authorization to order to active duty not to exceed 24 consecutive months, such units, and individual members of the Ready Reserve as they consider necessary.
As of Friday morning, there are more than 12,300 Air and Army National Guard professionals are supporting the COVID-19 crisis response at the direction of their governors.
In addition, 11 states and two territories have approved use of Dual-Status Commanders, giving them the authority to command active and reserve component troops under control of a state’s governor.
Governors across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington D.C. have each mobilized components of their Army and Air National Guard to assist in their state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. military has activated its "defense support of civil authorities" apparatus, establishing liaisons in all 50 states, activating units and command posts, and moving forces to provide medical, transportation, logistics, and communications support in New York and Washington states.
GM HIT WITH DPA HAMMER
And on Friday, President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to use any and all authority available under the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to accept, perform, and prioritize federal contracts for respiratory ventilators.
Quoting from the President's statement on the memorandum:
"Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course. GM was wasting time. Today’s action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives."
Earlier Friday, President Trump expressed on Twitter that he was losing his patience with GM.
"General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!! "
OFFICIAL CASE NUMBERS
World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control (U.S.)
Johns Hopkins CSSE (Interactive map updated multiple times daily)
WHO RISK OF SPREAD & IMPACT ASSESSMENT
China Very High
Regional Level Very High
Global Level Very High
PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES
Official Coronavirus Information Pages:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
Public Health Agency of Canada
Infection Prevention and Control Canada
World Health Organization
Official Pandemic Preparedness Guidance:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Homeland Security / Ready.Gov
World Health Organization
Assorted Resources
(While some of the resources below were prepared for pandemic influenza, the broader guidance contain therein is directly applicable to the current coronavirus crisis).
Home Care for Patients w/ Suspected Coronavirus Infection
Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza
Fundamentals of Emergency Planning for Schools
Healthcare Systems Preparedness for COVID-19
Pub Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness & Response (SARS)
Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
Faith-based & Community Org. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Checklist
WHO Checklist for Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Planning
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu
Dept of Defense Coronavirus Response Page
DHS Supplemental Instructions For Inbound Flights
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AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant.