April 28
Beebe and DPH to expand testing in Sussex County
Beebe Healthcare is partnering with the Delaware Division of Public Health to aggressively expand COVID-19 testing and follow-up care in Sussex County.
The two organizations will expand mobile testing sites throughout Sussex County, with an intensified focus on the southwest portion of the county, where the virus has seen a spike, and includes three days of free testing for Sussex County residents.. With guidance from the Division of Public Health, Beebe adapted a care continuum model, and is the first to launch testing under this program.
Beebe is collaborating with the state Division of Public Health, La Red Health Center, Westside Family Healthcare, Nemours Pediatrics and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Georgetown. This round of testing will feature two types of tests: rapid antibody testing, which is done by a finger stick; and the PCR test, which is done by a nasal or oral swab.
“Sussex County has become a hot spot for COVID-19, especially in areas along the Route 113 corridor,” said Gov. John Carney in a release. “We are working with community partners to expand testing sites and share educational information in those communities. It’s critical to protect your family and yourself by following the guidance from the CDC and the Delaware Division of Public Health. Most importantly, stay home. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to call 2-1-1 for more information and assistance. Dial 9-1-1 for an emergency. It’s critical we all work together to get through this.”
People coming for this round of free testing do not need an appointment or a doctor’s order. The testing location will be spread out near Beebe’s Georgetown Health Campus, but the testing route itself will start in the parking lot of JD Shucker’s.
The hours of free testing this week are:
- Wednesday, April 29 from 10 am – 4 pm.
- Friday, May 1, from 10 am – 4 pm
- Saturday, May 2 from 9 am – 1 pm
Those in Sussex County that are confirmed positive for the virus and need face-to-face care can then be seen at Beebe’s COVID Positive Care Center in Georgetown.
The purpose of the COVID-19 coordinated care model Beebe developed is to tackle the virus from all angles; screening, testing, and follow-up care. The focus of the model is intentionally in the ambulatory (outpatient) setting, because Beebe’s intention is to catch the virus early enough to prevent the complications that can sometimes arise when the disease progresses to the point when someone needs to be hospitalized.
DPH updates COVID-19 numbers through Tuesday, April 28
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) announced 413 more positive cases have been confirmed and that 12 more Delawareans — 137 in all — have passed away due to complications from COVID-19. The deceased range in age from 32 to 103 years old.
As of 12:20 p.m., Tuesday, April 28, the state’s COVID-19 case statistics cumulatively since March 11 include 4,4575 total laboratory-confirmed cases — 1,701 of them in New Castle County, 728 in Kent County and 2,114 in Sussex County. The state said preliminary data based on reporting by state and commercial laboratories, indicate there have been 16,605 negative cases.
There are 337 Delawareans who are currently hospitalized with 60 in critical condition. To date, 1,096 Delawareans who have tested positive have recovered.
NASE partners with MetLife to offer members new accident benefit
The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), the nation’s leading advocate and resource for the self-employed and micro-business community, today announced a partnership with MetLife to offer current and future NASE members a new association member benefit of accident insurance.
“We are thrilled to partner with MetLife to offer our current and future members a critical, often life-saving member benefit so they can focus on running their day-to-day small business with ease,” said John Hearrell, NASE’s Vice President of Membership and Affiliate Programs. “If and when an accident occurs, having insurance is important for unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. It is our hope this new member benefit, combined with a host of other benefits, helps reduce the financial burden on our small business members.”
Lance Dordick, AVP for National Accounts Affinity and Member Benefits at MetLife, echoes the sentiments, sharing, “We are excited to expand our relationship with NASE. It is our belief that the MetLife Accident plan offers members a tremendous benefit. We all know, when it comes to dealing with accidents, even the best medical plans can leave you with out of pocket expenses. Our partnership with NASE will provide members with peace of mind and help them focus on running their businesses.”
April 27
Rite Aid Opens Free Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing Site
Free COVID-19 tests are now being offered at Rite Aid located at 200 Pharmacy Drive in Smyrna. The tests are being conducted as a drive up service in the pharmacy’s parking lot. The Rite Aid tests utilize self-swab nasal tests overseen by Rite Aid pharmacists. Results are available between two and seven days. Rite Aid says they can perform approximately 400 tests a day. Testing hours are 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., seven days a week. For more information visit doverpost.com
DPH updates COVID-19 numbers through Monday, April 27
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) announced that over the weekend 720 more positive cases have been confirmed and that 13 more Delawareans — 125 in all — have passed away due to complications from COVID-19. The deceased range in age from 32 to 103 years old.
As of 12:10 p.m., Monday, April 27, the state’s COVID-19 case statistics cumulatively since March 11 include 4,162 total laboratory-confirmed cases — 1,629 of them in New Castle County, 652 in Kent County and 1,870 in Sussex County. The state said preliminary data based on reporting by state and commercial laboratories, indicate there have been 15,545 negative cases.
There are 325 Delawareans who are currently hospitalized, 50 of which are in critical care and 996 Delawareans who have tested positive have recovered.
