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, in search of details about its association with the Well being and Human Companies Division — “a sudden and important departure,” they wrote, “from the best way the federal authorities has collected public well being knowledge concerning infectious illnesses previously.”
The Coronavirus Outbreak ›
Continuously Requested Questions
Up to date August 12, 2020
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Can I journey inside the USA?
- Many states have journey restrictions, and plenty of them are taking lively measures to implement these restrictions, like issuing fines or asking guests to quarantine for 14 days. Right here’s an ever-updating listing of statewide restrictions. Normally, journey does enhance your likelihood of getting and spreading the virus, as you might be sure to come across extra individuals than if you happen to remained at your home in your personal “pod.” “Staying house is one of the simplest ways to guard your self and others from Covid-19,” the C.D.C. says. If you happen to do journey, although, take precautions. If you happen to can, drive. If it’s important to fly, watch out about selecting your airline. However know that airways are taking actual steps to maintain planes clear and restrict your danger.
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I’ve antibodies. Am I now immune?
- As of proper now, that appears probably, for not less than 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 might have a drawn-out course of an infection, with the virus taking a sluggish toll weeks to months after preliminary publicity. Folks 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 might final within the physique solely two to 3 months, which can appear worrisome, however that’s completely regular after an acute an infection subsides, stated Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard College. It could be doable to get the coronavirus once more, nevertheless it’s extremely unlikely that it could be doable in a brief window of time from preliminary an infection or make individuals sicker the second time.
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I’m a small-business proprietor. Can I get reduction?
- The stimulus payments enacted in March supply assist for the hundreds of thousands of American small companies. These eligible for help 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 supplied, which is being managed by the Small Enterprise Administration, contains the Paycheck Safety Program and the Financial Damage Catastrophe Mortgage program. However numerous people haven’t but seen payouts. Even those that have obtained assist are confused: The foundations are draconian, and a few are caught sitting on cash they don’t know the best way to use. Many small-business house owners 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 apprehensive about going again to work?
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What’s college going to seem like in September?
- It’s unlikely that many faculties will return to a traditional schedule this fall, requiring the grind of on-line studying, makeshift baby care and stunted workdays to proceed. California’s two largest public college districts — Los Angeles and San Diego — stated on July 13, that instruction will likely be remote-only within the fall, citing considerations that surging coronavirus infections of their areas pose too dire a danger for college students 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 lecture rooms after they reopen in August. For different districts, the answer gained’t be an all-or-nothing method. Many methods, together with the nation’s largest, New York Metropolis, are devising hybrid plans that contain spending some days in lecture rooms and different days on-line. There’s no nationwide coverage on this but, so examine together with your municipal college system usually to see what is occurring in your neighborhood.
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 urged the Democrats direct questions in regards to the contract to the federal government, and a well being division spokeswoman stated Friday that’s what members of Congress ought to do.
However Ms. Murray despatched the same letter to the well being and human companies company on June 3, not fairly two months after the contract was first awarded, and has obtained no response, her workplace stated. 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 knowledge assortment system.”
Senators Schumer and Murray have been pushing the federal government to be extra clear about its assortment and use of coronavirus knowledge. The 2 lately launched laws geared toward defending knowledge transparency, and Mr. Schumer has raised the problem with Mark Meadows, the White Home chief of workers, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, based on an individual conversant in their dialogue.
“The Trump administration’s choice to rent a non-public vendor after which cloak that vendor in a nondisclosure settlement raises quite a few questions on their motivations and dangers the flexibility of our public well being specialists to know and successfully combat this virus,” Mr. Schumer stated Friday in a press release.
The style during which 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 stated there have been six bidders, although they’d not identify the others, saying they have been “prohibited from sharing that info by federal rules and statutes.”
Ms. Tillipman stated retaining the names of bidders a secret can also be uncommon.