pandemic 56 , CD3 DFL

Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: November 19, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this newsletter finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. Over the past few weeks, Minnesota has seen some of its worst days yet in the COVID-19 pandemic, and though the promising news of effective vaccines gives us hope, it’s likely that darker days lie ahead.

Much of Minnesota’s success in combating this virus is depended on what additional resources we’ll be able to receive from the federal government, and to that end I drafted a letter along with my DFL colleagues in the Minnesota House calling on President Trump and Senate Majority Leader McConnell to return to the work of delivering sorely-needed economic relief. We need every level of government to work together to fight this pandemic and help Minnesotans and our small businesses weather these economic storms. You can read that letter here.

New COVID-19 Measures

Yesterday, Governor Walz announced new measures in Minnesota’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, or rather, we returned to some of the familiar restrictions from last spring. Starting Friday at 11:59 p.m., bars and restaurants will only be open through take-out options, gyms and entertainment venues will close, and we’ll be putting a pause on youth sports.

As Grassley Tests Positive, Virus Threatens to Stall Work in Congress

Two of the oldest members of Congress, Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa and Representative Don Young of Alaska, now have the virus, underscoring the risks on Capitol Hill.

WASHINGTON — The oldest Republican in the Senate tested positive for it. The oldest member of the House was hospitalized with it. And several more lawmakers have announced they have either been diagnosed with the coronavirus or are quarantining after exposure to it, in what is threatening to become a mini-outbreak on Capitol Hill that has already disrupted the business of Congress.

Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, 87, on Tuesday became the latest lawmaker to be affected, announcing that he had tested positive. His absence helped to temporarily derail the confirmation of President Trump’s nominee for the Federal Reserve Board and shattered Mr. Grassley’s pride and joy, the longest consecutive voting streak in Senate history.

His diagnosis came the day after Representative Don Young of Alaska, also 87, disclosed that he had been hospitalized over the weekend after what he described as a particularly brutal bout with Covid-19. The twin announcements from two men whose gender and age put them at peak vulnerability to being killed by the virus underscored the risks that lawmakers are operating under as Congress continues to meet. Continue reading.

Grassley tests positive for coronavirus

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said Tuesday evening that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, hours after announcing that he would be quarantining after a potential exposure.

“This morning, I learned that I had been exposed to the coronavirus. I received a COVID-19 test and immediately began to quarantine. While I still feel fine, the test came back positive for the coronavirus,” Grassley said in a statement.

Grassley, who is 87 and third in line to the presidency, added in a tweet that he was “feeling good” and would continue to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Continue reading.

What you need to know about the Moderna and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines

NOTE: This article is provided to readers free of charge by The Washington Post.

Both appear to be more than 90 percent effective in clinical trials and could begin to be available before the end of the year.

The vaccines are made by different companies: One is being developed by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, and the other by biotechnology firm Moderna, in partnership with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Both drugmakers have moved at record speed and will seek regulatory clearance for their vaccines in the coming weeks.

Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: November 19, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

Updates Return

With the campaign season over, we can return to our regular email updates covering everything happening at the Legislature and around Minnesota. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our wonderful community for returning me to the Legislature. I plan to continue to serve you diligently over these next two years.

New Covid-19 Rules as Virus Reaches Record Levels

Unfortunately, Covid is spreading at record levels throughout the country, including here in Minnesota where we have reached our capacity to manage the virus. Governor Walz has announced a number of new actions designed to reign in the virus.

Yesterday, he announced the following safety restrictions:

Restaurants will be take-out only for the next 4 weeks
Gyms and fitness centers will also close for 4 weeks
Theaters, movie theater, bowling alleys, museums, and arcades will all be closed
Wedding receptions, celebrations and private parties are put on hold as well
Limit all social gatherings with people outside of your household
All youth sports are on pause, there have been too many cases connected to sports for them to continue safely
Avoid travelling across state lines

If you can, please continue to get takeout from your favorite local restaurants; they are going to need our help more than ever. Personally I plan to support CR’s and Ole Piper! Torg and Invictus have curbside pickup as well. No one wants to see increased restrictions; we are all fatigued by the ongoing fight against COVID-19, but these restrictions are necessary to help curb the spread of this virus and save lives. We aren’t at a point where we can return to normal. These restrictions are a direct result of Minnesotans returning to too many pre-covid activities without taking the proper preventative measures. I understand that this is difficult, but we must remain vigilant when it comes to managing this virus. For everyone’s sake, please continue to limit gatherings, wear masks, and social distance.

It is increasingly clear that Minnesota needs federal assistance. We need immediate action on a new COVID-19 relief package, and an extension on flexibility to utilize resources allocated to state and local governments in the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Our state and local governments can’t combat this devastating virus alone, we must come together as a nation to fight for one another.

Actions Taken to Increase Testing and Provide Financial Relief

Last Week, Governor Walz announced the addition of more than a dozen new testing locations opening across the state over the next two weeks. All of the new testing sites will continue to offer free, “no barrier” COVID-19 testing. Testing will be free and available to anyone who wants to be tested whether they have symptoms or not, and it will not require insurance. These sites will be open at least through the end of the year with logistical aid provided by the National Guard. It is critical that we test as much as possible so we can trace how the virus is spreading and implement the necessary isolation.For more information on how and where to receive a COVID-19 test, visit mn.gov/covid19/. An updated list of community testing sites is available here.

Lastly, Governor Walz announced $10 million in Small Business Relief Grants to support businesses that are struggling as they do their part to combat the spread of COVID-19. This funding will support an additional 1,000 businesses that have applied for the grant program.

Keep in Touch:

You can contact me at rep.erin.koegel@house.mn or (651) 296-5369. I appreciate the opportunity to serve our district in the legislature and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Erin Koegel
State Representative

‘They’re holding the whole country hostage’: How Mitch McConnell flouts the will of the American people

Tim O’Daniel and his coworkers at Cleveland Clinic Akron General confront additional cases of COVID-19 every day in a hospital so busy it’s sometimes difficult to find an empty bed.

They’re also battling rising frustration after waiting months for comprehensive coronavirus testing and other federal resources essential to containing the pandemic.

Americans voted overwhelmingly in the November 3 election to support the nation’s health care workers and go on the offensive against COVID-19. Continue reading.

Rep. Steve Elkins (HD49B) Update: November 19, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

New Covid-19 Rules as Virus Reaches Record Levels

Today, Governor Walz announced the following restrictions:

Restaurants will be take-out only for the next 4 weeks
Gyms and fitness centers will also close for 4 weeks
Theaters, movie theater, bowling alleys, museums, and arcades will all be closed
Wedding receptions, celebrations and private parties are put on hold as well
Limit all social gatherings with people outside of you household
All youth sports are on pause, there have been too many cases connected to sports for them to continue safely
It is also advised that you avoid interstate travel

Rep. Heather Edelson (HD49A) Update: November 18, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

Governor Walz announced today a dial back on social activities, in-person dining, sports, and fitness establishments for four weeks. I’m heartbroken with turbulence our state has had to endure. Today is another blow. The economics /public health devastation of this pandemic makes us all angry. Let’s attack this together. Please-wear a mask and do not have gatherings so we can save lives, jobs and our economy.

Minnesotans are being asked to hit pause on their social lives. Please avoid gatherings with people outside of your household.
Restaurants and bars are dialed back to delivery and takeout only. Gyms and fitness studios will also need to close. Entertainment venues, event spaces, and similar establishments are also closed. These are undoubtedly tough economic times for our small restaurants and bars and workers, and my heart goes out to them. I am working with our congressional Minnesota delegation to get additional federal aid for our workers and business owners as soon as possible. If you know a restaurant, bar or food service establishment manager / owner in Hennepin County please share this grant application with them ASAP – the funds will go quickly: https://www.hennepin.us/economic-development/programs/Emergency-relief
Youth sports are on pause. As a parent, I recognize the positive health impacts and unique developmental and social benefits of sports. But the 192 outbreaks connected to sports are too concerning to let these activities continue during this dial back. Sports-related cases are nearly twice as prevalent among high school-age children as any other age group, and they increasingly play a key role in the need to move schools to distance learning.

Minnesota House Democrats call on President Trump, Senate Majority Leader McConnell to return to COVID negotiation

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — On Tuesday, DFL members and members-elect of the Minnesota House of Representatives sent a letter to President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, calling on them to return to negotiations for COVID-19 economic relief legislation.

“The election is over. A record number of Americans expressed their voice through vote and the results are clear. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 global pandemic is far from over,” wrote the DFL legislators. “In Minnesota and across our country, the virus is surging and people are suffering. We urge you to return to the negotiating table to help people who are desperate for your leadership amidst a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 2,700 Minnesotans and 200,000 Americans.”

The letter comes at a time when Minnesota is experiencing record-breaking cases of COVID-19, hospitals are under enormous strain, homelessness is increasing, Minnesotans are struggling to afford their rent, and small businesses continue to struggle in the midst of a global pandemic. All the while, a new COVID relief package has passed the U.S. House of Representatives, and awaits action from the U.S. Senate.

Along with urging action on a new COVID relief package, legislators are requesting more flexibility to utilize resources allocated to state and local governments in the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“The need for the pandemic response in Minnesota will continue well into 2021 and the lack of flexibility to continue using CARES Act funds for expenses beyond Dec. 30 will impede our response as we confront a significant state budget shortfall. We request that you approve an extension so that states like Minnesota can continue to utilize dollars approved in the CARES Act to combat the virus and help weather these economic storms.”

The letter and its 44 signatories can be found here.

South Dakota Nurse: Dying COVID-19 Patients ‘Still Don’t Believe The Virus Is Real’

“People want it to be influenza, they want it to be pneumonia, we’ve even had people say, ‘I think it could be lung cancer,’” Jodi Doering said.

A South Dakota nurse has gone viral after explaining her ongoing frustrations with trying to convince COVID-19 patients they actually have the virus.

“Their last dying words are, ‘This can’t be happening. It’s not real,’” Jodi Doering told CNN. “Even after positive results come back, some people just don’t believe it.”

Doering was sitting on her couch Saturday night and was attempting to soothe herself on a night off by cuddling her dog and eating Oreo ice cream, when she felt the urge to publicly express the obstacles she’s facing at work. Continue reading.

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