Governor addresses spike in COVID-19 numbers
Gov. Tate Reeves says while Wednesday's number of new COVID-19 cases is high, it's not reason to panic.
FIVE MONTHS AFTER THE GOVERNORLOCKED DOWN NURSING HOMES ANDASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES TOFAMILY, QUESTIONS REMAIN OVERWHEN THE STATE WILL STARTLIFTING RESTRICTIONS.
4 IN YOURCORNER’S KATIE LAGRONE TAKES ALOOK AT HOW RAPID TESTS WILLPLAY A ROLE AND WHY SOMECRITICS FEAR THEY COULD RESULTIN MORE INFECTION RATES AND EVENDEATHS IN THESE FACILITIES.(21-28)(103-108)(124-132)IT’S BEEN A LONG━ LONELY SUMMERFOR PENNY PHILLIPS.2:18:50- last night inparticular i was in tears, ijust couldn’t hold the tearsback.
This is five months thisweek.FIVE MONTHSSINCE SHE HELD HERMOTHER’S HANDSAT FACE TO FACEWITH HER OR EVEN IN THE SAMEROOM.2:17:46- i don’t know i justfelt like how much longer canthis go on, i just want to seeher and she wants to see me.PRE-COVI━ PENNY HAD BEEN AT HER91-YEAR OLD-MOTHER’S BED-RIDDENSIDEEVERY SINGLE DAY.2:17:52- I feel like i’ll doanything.
I’ll test, i’ll wearwhatever garb they want me towear, just let me in to thefacility and i will be good,LAST WEEK THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCEDHE’S CONSIDERING WAYS TO RE-OPENLONG TERM CARE CENTERS TOVISITORS AND CREATED A TASKFORCE TO DEVELOP GUIDELINESWHILE THEY HAVE YET TO MEET-DURING A RECENT ZOOM INTERVIEW,THE HEAD OF THE AGENCY FORHEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION WHICHGOVERNS FLORIDA NURSING HOMESAND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIE━TOLD US RAPID TESTING WILLLIKELY PLAY A ROLE.(SECRETARY MAYHEW)8:27- that is going to be a gamechanger in helping to furtherour efforts.SINCE OUR INTERVIEW, WE’VELEARNED THE FEDS STARTEDSHIPPING RAPID TEST KITS TONURSING HOMES HARDEST HIT BY THEVIRUS.
471 FLORIDA CENTERS ONTHE LIST.(SECRETARY MAYHEW)7:56- we’re thrilled that thefederal gov’t is working tosupport distribution of thesetests.
Excited about thepotential that holds in turningaround results quickly.(BRIAN LEE)6:40-they’re sending the wrongkind.
They’re sending antigenbased tests but those onlyidentify people who have fullblown covidINSTEAD BRIAN LEE, EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR OF NON-PROFIT ADVOCACYGROUP, FAMILIES FOR BETTER CARESAYS MOLECULAR BASED RAPID TESTSARE NEEDED SINCE THEY CAN DETECTASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE.THE FDA ACKNOWLEDGES ON ITS OWNWEBSITE THAT ANTIGEN -BASEDRAPID TESTS, WHILE CHEAPER, ARE"MORE LIKELY TO MISS AN ACTIVECORONAVIRUS INFECTION THANMOLECULAR BASED TESTS."9:36- we’ve been calling forthis for months.
They’re notlistening and so its allowedmore people to be exposed and todie.LEE BELIEVES MOLECULAR-BASEDRAPID TESTING IS THE ONLY SAFEWAY TO LET FAMILY MEMBERS BACKIN.2:19:15- i’ll do anything(looks up)i’ll go for testing, but i wantto see my momPENNY PHILLIPS DOESN’T CARE WHATKIND OF TEST SHE MAY BE SUBJECTTOSHE ONLY CARES- THE DAYS LEFTTO SEE HER MOTHER IN PERSONAGAIN ARE NUMBERED.2:27:24- i think she livesanother day so someday we can betogether physically.
I reallydo.
I don’t think she wants togo until she can be in the sameroom as me.YESTERDAY, WE ASKED THE CENTERSFOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAIDSERVICES WHY ITS SHIPPINGFACILITIES RAPID TESTS THAT MAYNOT BE ACCURATE, A SPOKESPERSONTOLD ME DUE TO THE VOL
Gov. Tate Reeves says while Wednesday's number of new COVID-19 cases is high, it's not reason to panic.
Five months after the government closed nursing homes from visitors, the push continues for families to once again reunite with..