INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR/TEGNA/AP) — Friday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic.
House approves $3T coronavirus relief bill
Democrats have powered a massive $3 trillion coronavirus response bill through the House, over Republican opposition.
The 1,815-page measure is aimed at propping up a U.S. economy in free fall and a health care system overwhelmed by a pandemic that’s still ravaging the country. It's also an election-year statement of priorities by Democrats.
The measure has no chance of passing the GOP-controlled Senate and has already drawn a White House veto threat. Passage sets up difficult negotiation with the White House and Senate Republicans over what's likely to be the last major COVID-19 response bill before November’s presidential and congressional elections.
Gov. update on response
Governor Eric Holcomb and state leaders provided an update on the response to COVID-19.
ISDH update
The Indiana State Department of Health analyzed the COVID-19 cases of 25,832 Hoosiers.
More than 7,000 of those visited an emergency department and 4,877 were hospitalized.
Of the 4,877 hospitalized, 23 percent (1,100) patients needed care in the ICU.
Of all those hospitalized, 72 percent were discharged, 11 percent are likely still hospitalized and 17 percent have died.
Testing of Hoosiers
Since April 15, more than 100,000 Hoosiers have been tested for COVID-19.
In the six weeks prior (Feb. 29 to April 14) just under 59,000 people were tested.
More than 170 testing sites are available now in Indiana and can be found by clicking here.
Contact tracing is running ahead of schedule with 500 workers already hired.
PPE Marketplace for small businesses
The PPE Marketplace for small businesses has received 20,000 orders and already shipped 10,000 orders. An anticipated 12,000 orders will go out next week.
Eligible businesses are those that:
- Are registered to do business in Indiana
- Employing less than 150 associates
- An organization that must use PPE to reopen
Orders for business and nonprofit organizations can be made by clicking here.
June 2 primary election
All election offices for the June 2 primary election will have proper PPE for workers and sanitation supplies for machines and common areas.
Voters are strongly urged to wear their own masks and gloves at the polls.
In 2016, the state saw 53,818 absentee ballots. To date this year, more than 330,000 absentee ballots have been filed.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is May 21. Absentee ballots must be received by the county clerk by Tuesday, June 2.
Absentee ballots can be requested by mail, fax, email, or online and you can find that information here.
Early voting is from May 26 - June 1.
Unemployment claims
Unemployment claims filed by Hoosiers last week totaled 30,691. That's the sixth week of numbers declining since the high for the week ending March 28 that saw 139,174 claims.
In the month of April, $766.7 million in unemployment insurance payments were made. An additional $620.9 million was paid out in May. Since March, Hoosiers have received $1.4 billion in unemployment insurance payments.
You can file for unemployment by clicking here.
President Trump makes remarks on COVID-19 vaccine
President Donald Trump said Friday that he’s hopeful to have a coronavirus vaccine on the market by the end of the year or shortly thereafter.
Moncep Slaoui, a former pharmaceutical executive who Trump has tapped to serve as the administration’s virus czar, said that early trial data suggests that “a few hundred million doses of vaccine” will be delivered by late 2020.
Trump, speaking at a Rose Garden event, reiterated that he wants to see states move forward with reopening their economies.
“We are back, vaccine or no vaccine,” Trump said.
Worldwide, the virus has infected nearly 4.5 million people and killed over 303,000 — more than 85,000 in U.S. alone, according to Johns Hopkins University.
ISDH latest COVID-19 numbers
The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting that more than 26,000 Hoosiers have tested positive for COVID-19. On Friday, there were 614 new confirmed cases of the virus and an additional 42 deaths. More than 1,500 Hoosiers have died from novel coronavirus and over 160,000 people in the state have been tested for the virus.
Marion County begins portions of 'Stage 2' on Friday
Mayor Joe Hogsett said Marion County will begin portions of "Stage 2" of Gov. Holcomb's five stages to get Indiana back on track beginning Friday, May 15. The following changes will be implemented:
- Removing restrictions on in-person public gatherings, including religious services, from 10 to 25 people.
- Allowing for qualified reopening of nonessential retail outlets at 50 percent capacity. The same goes for shopping malls.
- Allowing for liquor stores to reopen at 50 percent capacity.
- Offering curbside pickup at libraries.
Starting Friday, May 22, Marion County will be permitting in-person dining at restaurants but only in outdoor seating and with strict social distancing guidelines. In-person dining inside a restaurant will continue to be restricted.
Non-essential industrial and manufacturing must remain closed, and hair and nail salons must also remain closed.
Large-scale vaccine testing expected by July, NIH director says
Having a COVID-19 vaccine by January is “a stretch goal,” but the head of the National Institutes of Health is gearing up for a master experiment to rapidly tell if any really work.
At least four or five possible vaccines “look pretty promising” and one or two will be ready to begin large-scale testing by July with others to follow soon, NIH Director Francis Collins told The Associated Press.
“Your big challenge now is to go big and everybody is about ready for that. And we want to be sure that happens in a coordinated way,” Collins said in an interview late Thursday.
The NIH in partnership with some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies is creating a master plan that vaccine makers can follow. Separately, the Trump administration is working on how to produce possible vaccines now, a huge gamble before anyone knows which ones will pan out. The goal is to have 300 million doses available to distribute to Americans by January.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been 1.41 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. as of 3:30 a.m. ET Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been nearly 86,000 deaths and more than 246,000 people recovered.
Worldwide, there have been 4.44 million confirmed cases with 302,000 deaths and 1.58 million recovered.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
Walmart is partnering with eTrueNorth to provide coronavirus testing to anyone who meets CDC, state and local guidelines on who should be tested.
Testing will be available at the following six locations:
- Indianapolis Walmart, 7245 Us 31 S, Indianapolis, IN 46227
- Indianapolis Walmart, 3221 W 86th St, Indianapolis, IN 46268
- Indianapolis Walmart, 7325 N Keystone Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46240
- Camby Walmart, 8191 Upland Bend, Camby, IN 46113
- Greenwood Walmart, 1133 N Emerson Ave Rd, Greenwood, IN 46143
- Paoli Walmart, 735 N Gospel St, Paoli, IN 47454
The six sites will be open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays beginning May 15 from 7 a.m. - 9 a.m., weather permitting.
Appointments must be made through eTrueNorth’s online portal at www.DoINeedaCOVID19test.com, which will screen individuals to ensure they meet CDC eligibility for testing.
Click here for more information.
House vote Friday on new stimulus with another $1,200 to Americans
The Democratic-controlled House is pressing ahead Friday with votes on another massive rescue bill that would pump almost $1 trillion to state and local governments, renew $1,200 cash payments for individuals, and extend a $600 weekly supplemental federal unemployment benefit.
The first four coronavirus response bills were bipartisan measures that passed by sweeping votes, but Friday's measure — with a $3 trillion-plus price tag that exceeds the prior bills combined — promises to pass largely along party lines.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has loaded the 1,815-page measure with a slew of Democratic priorities, including funding to cover rent payments and utility bills, “hazard pay" for essential workers, and grants to thousands of municipal governments grappling with sagging revenues.
But it's earned a White House veto threat and a scathing assessment from top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who called it “a totally unserious effort." Few Republicans are expected to vote for the bill despite popular provisions like help for the Postal Service and local schools, $1,200 payments to most Americans, and $175 billion to help homeowners and renters stay in their homes.
Big Woods staggers reopening restaurants
Big Woods restaurants are locally-owned and can’t all open at the same time because they’re in different counties. So their owners have been able to learn from their locations in Noblesville, Franklin and Brown County before their Speedway location opens back up next Friday.
“People are not going to come out if they're not confident in what we're doing,” said Big Woods Executive Chairman Jeff McCabe of his restaurants’ safety precautions. “All of us in the restaurant business need to communicate well about the safety measures we're taking and give people that sense of confidence that we're not just complying with the rules, we're really being thoughtful about it. And we've really got a safe environment for them to protect their well being.”
There are four Big Woods locations which are open at 50% capacity right now. Their Bloomington location opens Saturday, May 16 when Monroe County restrictions ease, while their Speedway location cannot open until next Friday, May 22, because of Marion County’s coronavirus restrictions.
Meijer to start extending hours Friday
Meijer is adjusting store hours to allow more time for customers to get their shopping essentials and extending the times its stores dedicate to senior citizens, customers with chronic health conditions, essential service workers and its team members.
New store hours are as follows:
- Meijer stores will close overnight at midnight local time, beginning Friday, May 15, and will open each morning at 6 a.m.
- Meijer Express convenience store locations will close overnight at 11 p.m. and open each morning at 6 a.m.; pay-at-the-pump fuel sales will remain available 24 hours a day.
- Meijer stores will extend dedicated shopping times for senior citizens and customers with chronic health conditions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 a.m. Pharmacies will continue opening at 7 a.m. on those days.
- Meijer stores will extend dedicated shopping times for essential service workers and Meijer team members on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8 a.m. Pharmacies will continue opening at 7 a.m. on those days.
Meijer defines essential service workers as all medical workers, first responders and law enforcement. Senior citizens are considered age 65 and older.