The letter made public on Friday was in response to an inquiry from Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic chief, and Senator Patty Murr
The letter made public on Friday was in response to an inquiry from Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic chief, and Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the rating Democrat on the Senate Well being Committee. They wrote the corporate on July 22, looking for details about its association with the Well being and Human Companies Division — “a sudden and vital departure,” they wrote, “from the best way the federal authorities has collected public well being information concerning infectious ailments up to now.”
The Coronavirus Outbreak ›
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
Up to date August 12, 2020
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Can I journey inside the USA?
- Many states have journey restrictions, and many them are taking energetic measures to implement these restrictions, like issuing fines or asking guests to quarantine for 14 days. Right here’s an ever-updating record of statewide restrictions. Basically, journey does enhance your likelihood of getting and spreading the virus, as you might be certain to come across extra folks than if you happen to remained at your home in your personal “pod.” “Staying house is the easiest way to guard your self and others from Covid-19,” the C.D.C. says. When you do journey, although, take precautions. When you can, drive. If you need to fly, watch out about choosing your airline. However know that airways are taking actual steps to maintain planes clear and restrict your threat.
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I’ve antibodies. Am I now immune?
- As of proper now, that appears possible, for at the very least a number of months. There have been horrifying accounts of individuals struggling what appears to be a second bout of Covid-19. However specialists say these sufferers could have a drawn-out course of an infection, with the virus taking a gradual toll weeks to months after preliminary publicity. Individuals contaminated with the coronavirus usually produce immune molecules referred to as antibodies, that are protecting proteins made in response to an an infection. These antibodies could final within the physique solely two to 3 months, which can appear worrisome, however that’s completely regular after an acute an infection subsides, mentioned Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard College. It might be doable to get the coronavirus once more, nevertheless it’s extremely unlikely that it will be doable in a brief window of time from preliminary an infection or make folks sicker the second time.
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I’m a small-business proprietor. Can I get reduction?
- The stimulus payments enacted in March provide assist for the thousands and thousands of American small companies. These eligible for support are companies and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 500 employees, together with sole proprietorships, unbiased contractors and freelancers. Some bigger corporations in some industries are additionally eligible. The assistance being provided, which is being managed by the Small Enterprise Administration, consists of the Paycheck Safety Program and the Financial Damage Catastrophe Mortgage program. However a lot of people haven’t but seen payouts. Even those that have obtained assist are confused: The principles are draconian, and a few are caught sitting on cash they don’t know how one can use. Many small-business homeowners are getting lower than they anticipated or not listening to something in any respect.
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What are my rights if I’m frightened about going again to work?
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What’s college going to appear like in September?
- It’s unlikely that many colleges will return to a standard schedule this fall, requiring the grind of on-line studying, makeshift youngster care and stunted workdays to proceed. California’s two largest public college districts — Los Angeles and San Diego — mentioned on July 13, that instruction can be remote-only within the fall, citing issues that surging coronavirus infections of their areas pose too dire a threat for college kids and lecturers. Collectively, the 2 districts enroll some 825,000 college students. They’re the most important within the nation to this point to desert plans for even a partial bodily return to school rooms after they reopen in August. For different districts, the answer gained’t be an all-or-nothing method. Many programs, together with the nation’s largest, New York Metropolis, are devising hybrid plans that contain spending some days in school rooms and different days on-line. There’s no nationwide coverage on this but, so examine along with your municipal college system often to see what is occurring in your group.
The Washington lawyer A. Scott Bolden replied on behalf of Michael Zamagias, a Pittsburgh actual property developer who’s TeleTracking’s chairman and majority proprietor. Mr. Bolden advised the Democrats direct questions concerning the contract to the federal government, and a well being division spokeswoman mentioned Friday that’s what members of Congress ought to do.
However Ms. Murray despatched an analogous letter to the well being and human providers company on June 3, not fairly two months after the contract was first awarded, and has obtained no response, her workplace mentioned. On the time, hospitals had the choice of reporting both to TeleTracking or the C.D.C., and Ms. Murray’s letter requested why the federal government was creating “a seemingly duplicative information assortment system.”
Senators Schumer and Murray have been pushing the federal government to be extra clear about its assortment and use of coronavirus information. The 2 just lately launched laws geared toward defending information transparency, and Mr. Schumer has raised the problem with Mark Meadows, the White Home chief of workers, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in response to an individual conversant in their dialogue.
“The Trump administration’s determination to rent a personal vendor after which cloak that vendor in a nondisclosure settlement raises quite a few questions on their motivations and dangers the power of our public well being specialists to know and successfully combat this virus,” Mr. Schumer mentioned Friday in a press release.
The style wherein the contract was awarded has additionally generated confusion. A authorities web site initially listed it as a “sole supply” contract, however well being division officers later mentioned there have been six bidders, although they’d not identify the others, saying they have been “prohibited from sharing that data by federal laws and statutes.”
Ms. Tillipman mentioned protecting the names of bidders a secret can also be uncommon.