By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
On Thursday, March 19, Congressman Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) held a “Coronavirus Tele-Town Hall” to provide information on the latest developments regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) and to inform his constituents on preventative measures.
Local health experts joined Brindisi on the line to offer updates and help answer questions from the public.
During his opening remarks, the congressman provided advice to listeners on how to stay safe.
He offered the following suggestions:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after being in a public place, coughing or sneezing.
If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that consists of at least 60 percent alcohol.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community, especially if you are at high risk of getting very sick.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw used tissues into the trash and immediately wash your hands with soap.
If you are not sick, you do not have to wear a face mask unless you are caring for someone who is sick.
If you are sick, wear a face mask when you are around other people and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, light switches, phones, countertops and handles daily.
If surfaces are dirty, clean them, and use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
Brindisi also provided an update on what Congress and the White House have been doing to bolster coronavirus preparedness and response efforts.
The Families First Coronavirus Emergency Response Act passed the Senate on March 18, and was signed into law by President Trump.
According to Brindisi, the bill — which was supported by both parties — will ensure that there is free coronavirus testing; establish paid emergency leave; and provide critical emergency dollars to the counties across the 22nd district.
The congressman noted that approximately $33 million in aid is coming to the counties on the front line that are helping to respond to the public health crisis.
“The fight is certainly not over,” Brindisi said. “In fact, experts are saying that it’s just starting. Now I’m working with local governments, businesses large and small, and members from both parties to make sure that the next relief bill gets more resources on the ground, protects healthcare workers, supports our local economies and family farms, and takes into account our rural communities and schools. This legislation is still coming together, but I am ‘all ears’ to listen to what your priorities are. I have listened to farmers and business owners, school district officials and teachers, local governments, and much more to make sure that we get a bill that works for all of us. From the shores of Lake Ontario down to the Southern Tier and everywhere in between, I want you to know that we are in this fight together. The coronavirus knows no political party, and it is something that we have to work together to address . . .”
At the time of the tele-town hall, Brindisi was self-isolating in his home following contact with a congressman who recently tested positive for COVID-19.
“I am tele-working from home,” Brindisi said. “I am not exhibiting any symptoms currently, and hopefully it stays that way, but our office is still open and responding to emails and phone calls, so if you have the need, please reach out to us. I want you to know we are still working on your behalf.”
Following Brindisi’s introduction, Dr. Andrew Bushnell, MD, MBA, FACEP, chief medical officer at Rome Memorial Hospital, offered a few remarks.
Bushnell reported that, like other hospitals in the area, Rome Memorial Hospital has started limiting visitors and screening all patients, staff and visitors who enter the front entrances open during the day.
“We want to limit the amount of exposure to our current patients, our staff, and the community that uses our hospital,” Bushnell said. “We want to tell you that we are prepared for this crisis that we are having, and that we hope that the spread of this virus is slowed down by the drastic measures that this state and the country are taking. If we can slow the curve down, we can meet the need of the community and the public that we serve.”
Next, Stephen Thomas, MD, division chief of infectious disease at SUNY Upstate Medical University, discussed Upstate’s approach to the situation.
According to Thomas, Upstate is working to provide optimal care for its patients — not only those individuals suspected of having a COVID infection, but also those with routine medical problems unrelated to the virus.
Upstate has outfitted its primary care and ambulatory care network with personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing materials in an effort to avoid overrunning its emergency departments and hospitals.
The hospital is also working to secure COVID-19 testing capabilities locally.
“We are pursuing a number of options to do that,” Thomas said. “The Wadsworth Lab in Albany has been outstanding. They have been getting hundreds of tests just from this region, and their turnaround time right now is about 1.5 days, which is really tremendous. We are also working with a lot of commercial partners, who are now getting authorizations from the FDA to deploy their tests, and then we are also trying to bring that capability in house to Upstate . . . This could really be a game-changer for us, turning what is now a multi-day process into a multi-hour process.”
The medical school has also adopted a strong social-distancing stance, which has been achieved, according to Thomas, by adopting a strict visitor policy; promoting telework when feasible; encouraging telemedicine platforms, phone calls, etc. for medical visits that do not require face-to-face interaction; providing students and researchers with remote learning capabilities; and protecting healthcare workers with PPE, so they can continue to care for their community.
Dan Rickman, deputy district director at U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), delivered the final opening comments.
According to Rickman, SBA is continuing to help small businesses to access federal resources like working capital loans, counseling, and assistance navigating their preparedness plans.
Rickman highlighted President Trump’s recent announcement regarding the opening up of economic injury disaster loans to certified states and counties.
“[This] would give businesses the ability to apply specifically for economic injury disaster loans to help them get through this difficult situation, where they are probably not seeing the revenues they normally would,” Rickman said. “The [intention is to give] them the tools they need to keep their doors open until we reach the point where their businesses can recover . . . [The loans] are for working capital, essentially.”
Rickman announced that earlier that day, New York was declared statewide as an eligible SBA disaster area.
The loans are designed to have flexible terms and very low interest rates.
To learn about SBA disaster loan assistance, visit disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.
Prior to opening the line for calls, Brindisi added that there have been two economic stimulus packages already and that a third, larger package is on its way.
“The previous two really dealt with the immediate need, with the public health response and making sure that workers who have to be out of work are covered through emergency leave, but also with getting funding for free testing and money to our counties to deal with the public health crisis,” he said. “I think going forward, what we are going to see — and what the president has been talking about, as well as leaders in Congress — is a much larger economic stimulus package that I hope . . . [will have] more immediate, direct financial payments to individuals, . . . flexible dollars that we can get out to small businesses to be able to keep them afloat as soon as possible. I heard a study recently, and there are something like 30 million small businesses in the country [and] 24 million of them are sole proprietorships. On average, they only have about 27 days of cash flow to keep them going, so we need a large economic stimulus package now. We need to get cash out to these small businesses and to the workers that are most affected by these shutdowns, and that’s what Congress and the White House are working on now.”
For more information about COVID-19 prevention efforts, visit the CDC’s website at cdc.gov/coronavirus or call the New York Department of Health Novel Coronavirus Hotline at 1-888-364-3065.
To learn about ways to contact Congressman Brindisi’s office, visit brindisi.house.gov/contact.
