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| Connecticut Hospitals Ordered to Allow Visitors for Patients With Disabilities | Connecticut Hospitals Ordered to Allow Visitors for Patients With Disabilities |
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| Connecticut’s top health official on Tuesday ordered hospitals that were barring visitors because of the coronavirus to make exceptions for patients with disabilities, after a complaint that the policy violated the civil rights of people who were unable to obtain adequate care for themselves. | Connecticut’s top health official on Tuesday ordered hospitals that were barring visitors because of the coronavirus to make exceptions for patients with disabilities, after a complaint that the policy violated the civil rights of people who were unable to obtain adequate care for themselves. |
| A family member or care provider, the order says, may now accompany a patient who has a mental, intellectual or physical impairment and requires special assistance. | A family member or care provider, the order says, may now accompany a patient who has a mental, intellectual or physical impairment and requires special assistance. |
| The change came after disability groups filed a complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, saying that the lack of visitation rights deprived some patients “of their right to make informed decisions and provide informed consent,” and subjected others “to the unnecessary use of physical and chemical restraints.” | The change came after disability groups filed a complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, saying that the lack of visitation rights deprived some patients “of their right to make informed decisions and provide informed consent,” and subjected others “to the unnecessary use of physical and chemical restraints.” |
| Gov. Ned Lamont of Connecticut, a Democrat, said in a statement that the new policy, which requires that hospitals provide protective equipment to those accompanying the patient, “implements vital safeguards for individuals with special needs to ensure proper and safe care is being provided and received in a hospital setting.” | Gov. Ned Lamont of Connecticut, a Democrat, said in a statement that the new policy, which requires that hospitals provide protective equipment to those accompanying the patient, “implements vital safeguards for individuals with special needs to ensure proper and safe care is being provided and received in a hospital setting.” |
| Roger Severino, who directs the Office for Civil Rights, said in an interview that Connecticut’s order should serve as a model for other states. “People should not be left to fend for themselves when they can be reasonably accommodated,” he said. “The safety of patients with disabilities shouldn’t be pitted as if it’s a zero-sum game against the safety of others. Both can be protected.” | Roger Severino, who directs the Office for Civil Rights, said in an interview that Connecticut’s order should serve as a model for other states. “People should not be left to fend for themselves when they can be reasonably accommodated,” he said. “The safety of patients with disabilities shouldn’t be pitted as if it’s a zero-sum game against the safety of others. Both can be protected.” |
| The action is the latest in a series of cases alleging discrimination that have been investigated by the federal agency since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. | The action is the latest in a series of cases alleging discrimination that have been investigated by the federal agency since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. |
| In March, fears rose that hospitals would run out of ventilators to help critically ill patients breathe. Mr. Severino released a bulletin putting states and hospitals on notice that protocols to decide which patients would — and would not — receive ventilators could not discriminate on the basis of disabilities, race or age, among other factors. | In March, fears rose that hospitals would run out of ventilators to help critically ill patients breathe. Mr. Severino released a bulletin putting states and hospitals on notice that protocols to decide which patients would — and would not — receive ventilators could not discriminate on the basis of disabilities, race or age, among other factors. |
| In April, his office resolved civil rights complaints against Alabama and Pennsylvania for ventilator triage guidelines that the office deemed discriminatory toward older patients and those with disabilities. | In April, his office resolved civil rights complaints against Alabama and Pennsylvania for ventilator triage guidelines that the office deemed discriminatory toward older patients and those with disabilities. |
| Mr. Severino announced a separate resolution on Tuesday that his office had reached with Hartford Hospital in Connecticut over a 73-year-old patient with Covid-19, Joan Parsons, who had difficulty speaking with medical providers because of a brain condition known as aphasia. The hospital had initially barred Ms. Parsons’ family members from being present to assist her, but it later allowed them to join her, according to one of her daughters, Susan Fandacone. | Mr. Severino announced a separate resolution on Tuesday that his office had reached with Hartford Hospital in Connecticut over a 73-year-old patient with Covid-19, Joan Parsons, who had difficulty speaking with medical providers because of a brain condition known as aphasia. The hospital had initially barred Ms. Parsons’ family members from being present to assist her, but it later allowed them to join her, according to one of her daughters, Susan Fandacone. |
| “The nurses were so amazed by the type of communication that we were able to do that we could not explain over the phone,” Ms. Fandacone said in an interview. “How do you explain nonverbal cues?” She added that family members had not been allowed to be present for the first 30 days of her mother’s 35-day hospitalization. | “The nurses were so amazed by the type of communication that we were able to do that we could not explain over the phone,” Ms. Fandacone said in an interview. “How do you explain nonverbal cues?” She added that family members had not been allowed to be present for the first 30 days of her mother’s 35-day hospitalization. |
| Updated June 24, 2020 | |
| Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles. | |
| A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. | |
| The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth. | |
| The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | |
| In a statement, the hospital said that its goal was “always to ensure full and equal access to health care services and facilities for all patients” and that its visitation restrictions, meant to control the spread of the virus, had “clear exceptions when appropriate, including exceptions for our patients with disabilities.” | In a statement, the hospital said that its goal was “always to ensure full and equal access to health care services and facilities for all patients” and that its visitation restrictions, meant to control the spread of the virus, had “clear exceptions when appropriate, including exceptions for our patients with disabilities.” |
| In a joint statement, the advocacy organizations that brought the complaint expressed satisfaction with its resolution, saying they hoped it would become a precedent for policies in other states and hospitals. | In a joint statement, the advocacy organizations that brought the complaint expressed satisfaction with its resolution, saying they hoped it would become a precedent for policies in other states and hospitals. |