COVID-19 Daily Briefing 5/6
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May 6
DPH updates COVID-19 numbers through Wednesday, May 6
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) announced 407 new positive cases have been confirmed and that 6 more Delawareans — 193 in all — have passed away due to complications from COVID-19. The deceased range in age from 26 to 103 years old.
As of May 6, the state’s COVID-19 case statistics cumulatively since March 11 include 5,778 total laboratory-confirmed cases — 2,087 of them in New Castle County, 891 in Kent County and 2,764 in Sussex County. The state said preliminary data based on reporting by state and commercial laboratories, indicate there have been 20,690 negative cases.
There are 299 Delawareans who are currently hospitalized, with 65 in critical care. To date, 2,008 Delawareans who have tested positive have recovered.
County Executive Meyer, Nemours Children’s Health System announce paramedics testing partnership
Tomorrow, May 7, New Castle County Executive Matthew Meyer and Nemours Children’s Health System’s Dr. Mary M. Lee will announce a partnership that will allow New Castle County’s 130 paramedics to be tested for the COVID-19 virus.
Testing began on Wednesday with 39 members of the paramedics being tested. New Castle County anticipates more than 100 will volunteer for the testing program which continues through Friday.
Sprouts Farmers Market Expands Grocery Pickup to Mid-Atlantic Stores
Sprouts Farmers Market has expanded grocery pickup to its Mid-Atlantic stores for families looking to shop for healthy products without entering the store.
Customers can shop among more than 12,000 fresh, natural and organic products at sprouts.com/order to be picked up at Sprouts Farmers Market in Wilmington.
The service allows customers to plan grocery pick up for the same day or to schedule several days in advance, subject to availability. Customers are alerted when their order is prepared by a Sprouts team member and ready for pickup. Their personal Sprouts shopper will bring the groceries to a designated pickup parking spot when the customer arrives and checks in.
YWCA Delaware’s Highmark Virtual Walk
Help the YWCA Delaware care for homeless families, abused women, and people economically impacted by COVID -19 by registering before May 8th and walk when and where you can by June 30th.
YWCA Delaware is once again taking part in the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community, with a goal of $5,000. YWCA Delaware’s service to the community never stops. A virtual walk is a REAL walk.
- Walk virtually anytime between May 9th and June 30th (must register by May 8th www.ywcade.org/Highmarkwalk)
- Invite family and friends from near and far to walk with you from anywhere.
- Get creative
- Raise $15 or more and receive an official Highmark Walk t-shirt.
- You can also just make a donation.
- For every $50.00 raised as an individual or team, you will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win designer prizes from Kenneth Cole, Timberland sunglasses and more. Twenty-one (21) winners will be chosen.
Morgan Properties to Donate $500,000 to Local Hospitals and Food Banks
Morgan Properties, one of the nation’s largest apartment owners, launched Morgan Cares, a program created to support local hospitals and food banks. Throughout the 15 states where Morgan Properties’ operates, the company will donate a percentage of each resident’s May and June rent to their choice of a local hospital or food bank.
The Morgan Cares initiative was established in partnership with Morgan Properties’ valued residents across its entire portfolio of 300 apartment communities and 75,000 units. Morgan Properties expects to contribute over $500,000 in funding to give back to these local organizations that need it most.
“As a family business whose culture is deeply rooted in helping others, we are incredibly passionate about giving back to the communities in which we serve” said Jonathan Morgan, President of Morgan Properties. “We are in the midst of a global health crisis and the only way to get through it is to come together and help those in need. Our size and scale awards us the unique opportunity to make a significant donation that will help support the critical hospitals and food banks who are selflessly serving on the front lines and keeping us safe. Morgan Properties is committed to doing our part to help these local communities since we are all in this together.”
May 5
Governor John Carney announces interim steps allowing small businesses to reopen
Effective 8:00 a.m. Friday, May 8, some establishments will be allowed to resume limited operations, provided they can maintain social distancing standards.
The goal of the interim steps is to provide economic relief to Delaware citizens and businesses who are struggling financially – while maintaining strict adherence to health and safety guidelines.
- Small business retailers will be allowed to do business using curbside pickup as long as social distancing can be maintained. These retailers include:
- Clothing stores
- Shoe stores
- Sporting goods, hobby, musical instruments
- Book, periodical, music stores
- Department stores
- Tobacco and Vape
- Other general merchandise
- Office supply, stationery, and gift stores
- Used merchandise stores
- Consumer goods rental
Jewelry stores may do business by appointment only, and the Governor has instructed the Division of Small Business to consider additional changes like this for other similar retailers.
Cosmetology: Hair care services only are permitted to be offered, and only to workers at essential businesses. Guidelines include:
- No more than two appointments at a time per location (and never more than the number of available staff, so just one for a sole proprietor). Need to leave 15 minutes between appointments for proper cleaning.
- Employees and customers must wear cloth face masks at all times, and customers must cancel appointments if they have any reason to believe they may be ill or may have come into contact with the virus.
- Staff must wear disposable gloves when providing services and must throw away gloves between customers and wash hands.
- Employer must require employees to report their temperature daily — above 99.5 means they are ineligible to work.
- Customer stations must be sanitized between use, along with any equipment used for the customer. In addition, any item a customer handles (like a magazine) must leave with the customer.
- Entrance door must remain locked to outside to prevent walk-ins.
At golf courses; carts are allowed for 1 rider at a time with proper cleaning between customers
Drive thru movies are permitted to open, but patrons must remain inside vehicles and social distancing must be maintained at all times.
Employees required to report to work as a result of these changes will now be permitted to utilize child care services, provided neither parent works from home and they do not have alternate care.
