This Week in Tech with Jeanne Destro-3-27-20 Featured
Written by Jeanne DestroWhy the US Government wants to use spy tools against its own citizens in the fight against Coronavirus, Pentagon staff gearing up for months working at home, and a conversation with the author of a book sorely needed in times like these, "The Future of Feeling: Building Empathy in a Tech Obsessed World".
What is it like for teachers who are "sheltering" at home during the pandemic, conducting their classes, and maintaining an ultra-safe distance from their students? Ray talked to Leora Cohen, who teaches Science, at the Lippman School in Akron.
JoAnn Fabrics Answering Call for Medical Supplies
Written by Jeanne DestroHudson-based JoAnn Fabrics is answering the urgent call for medical supplies coming from healthcare professionals and first responders nationwide. Listen here, as company spokesperson, Amanda Hayes, explains what they're doing, and how they're helping home-sewers step up, and help our nurses, doctors, keep us all alive.
(Summit County Executive's Office) In response to the COVID-19 situation, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) has implemented the Temporary Pandemic Child Care License, a new rule which sets the process and requirements for child care providers to operate under a special pandemic child care license. This temporary licensure will allow approved programs to serve children whose parents are employees providing health, safety and other essential services as defined by the Director of ODJFS in consultation with the Director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.
There is no application fee and these programs will not be required to be rated in Step Up To Quality in order to provide publicly funded child care. Payment for these programs will be determined through an agreement process with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. ODJFS must use discretion regarding the number of licenses approved based on need and pandemic health concerns. As a result, ODJFS will evaluate programs based on location, capacity, and the number of children currently being served with parents employed to provide health, safety or other essential services.
Summit County has approximately 60 centers approved for Pandemic Child Care. A frequently updated list of local providers can be found here.
All child care programs, including Family Child Care (FCC) Home Providers, must close by 11:59 pm on Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Only licensed or certified pandemic child care programs can provide child care beginning March 26, 2020. FCC Home Providers who are currently licensed and currently certified in-home aides can apply for a pandemic child care license.
Providers who would like to become a pandemic provider should complete JFS 01258 "Application for Temporary Pandemic Child Care Center License" to apply for a temporary pandemic child care license. This form can be used by existing ODJFS-licensed child care centers when designated as an emergency child care location as well as new programs applying for a temporary pandemic child care system license. The form is available here.
For more from the Summit County Executive's office, click here.
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Update: The Ohio Department of Health and the governor's office have extended the Stay at Home Order and Essential Business Order through May 1st, per Thursday, April 2nd's update from the statehouse.
There are a few changes to the guidelines in the order. You can visit the state's coronavirus website for more informaiton.
Governor Mike DeWine announced that Dr. Amy Acton will be signing a Stay at Home Order for the State of Ohio in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order will go into effect Monday, March 22nd at 11:59pm and stay in effect until April 6th.
The order can be enforcted by local health departments and local law enforcement, although the Governor stressed that the goal is not to see a bunch of people arrested.
Ohioans will be allowed to leave their house for, as the Governor describes, "common sense" reasons. These include leaving for health and saftey, necessary supplies and services, outdoor activities, to take care of others, and more. For the full list, and other information regarding the order and the latest on COVID-19 coronavirus in Ohio, click here.
Kent State University announced Friday that their Spring Commencement ceremonies and pre commencement celebrations will be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The University said in a statment that they are exploring alternate options and dates.
An update will be provided by the school at a later date as they gather more information on the matter.
For more updates on this situation, visit https://www.kent.edu/
As of the latest update from the Ohio Department of Health and Governor Mike DeWine's office, there are 30,167 total cases of coronavirus in the state; an increase of more than 700 cases from Wednesday's report.
The total number of deaths related to COVID-19 is now 1,836; 55 more than the previous report.
Summit County Public Health's dashboard is showing 1,165 total cases, an increase of 48 from the previous day's report, and now 144 deaths. The total number of cases in Cuyahoga County is now 3,667 and 202 fatalities, according to the ODH.
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Governor Mike DeWine has laid out the process of reopening the state, noting that testing and tracing the pandemic were the key elements to getting us to the point of being able to reopen at all.
By the end of May, DeWine says we will be at 22,000 daily tests.
As far as tracing coronavirus, the governor's office has created a workforce plan to gather volunteers and other workers to help in those efforts over a long period of time. That plan is laid out in three tiers that can be seen at the state's website here.
When it comes to reopening Ohio, the governor has given three dates in May to begin this process. Starting May 1st, DeWine says all health procedures and operations that do not require an overnight stay in the hosptial can move forward, including dental services.
Under the new order, starting May 4th, general offices and manufacturing, distribution and construction companies will be allowed to restart business if they had been closed under the original order back in March. Guidelines regarding this "responsible restart" can be found here.
Beginning May 12th retail, service, and consumer businesses will be allowed to reopen in Ohio. All employees will be required to wear face masks, and all customers are encouraged to wear masks. DeWine said Monday, "We are not going to mandate that, but when a customer goes into a business they will have to have that face mask because they will be... dealing with the people that are working there."
There are still several businesses that will remain closed into May:
More from the Ohio Department of Health.