COVID 19 Update 70
Mid-Hudson Opening Day Today – Phase 1
We are pleased that all our members can open for business today. In our minds you are all essential. We are reprinting Sunday’s post regarding what this means for all manufacturers in the region and what need to do to reopen at full capacity.
FROM SUNDAY’s POST: Mid-Hudson Region Will Begin Phase 1 Reopening Tuesday May 26th
During Saturday’s Press Conference Governor Cuomo announced that The Mid-Hudson region has met the criteria in the decline in the number of deaths. Contact tracers will be trained over this weekend and the Mid-Hudson region will open on Tuesday. The Hudson Valley region includes Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties.
You can use this template at a guide.
And you MUST READ AND AFFIRM that you have done so here
You MUST KEEP A COPY OF YOU PLAN ON HAND AND BE READY TO PRODUCE IT TO LOCAL HEALTH OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES. Remember that enforcement will be complaint driven so you should take seriously the training and communication portions of the requirements.
Phase one of reopening means the following:
-
- If you are manufacturer operating as essential you can continue as before BUT YOU STILL NEED TO HAVE A PLAN AND AFFIRM THAT YOU DO.
- If you are a manufacturer operating as essential because you supply essential businesses you can now also work on non-essential orders. BUT YOU STILL NEED TO COMPETE HAVE A PLAN AND AFFIRM THAT YOU DO.
- If you were not operating because you were non-essential you can reopen May 26th WITH YOUR COVID RESPONSE PLAN IN PLACE.
If you have questions you can email me at hking@councilofindustry.org We also encourage you, or someone from your team, to attend Wednesday’s Webinar focusing on communicating effectively and transparently with your employees. See Below for details.
Regions That Opened 5/15 Have Seen Uptick in Hospitalizations
Governor Cuomo noted in his press conference Monday that the regions that are in phase one, Central New York and the Finger Lakes have seen slight upticks in hospitalizations. The Governor stated when a region reopens you can expect an uptick, but he does not believe the current uptick can be linked to reopening as it is too fast – the virus takes a couple of days to incubate. We should be prepared for similar results and take every precaution to keep the virus at bay.
In Sunday’s Press Conference the Governor said that New York professional sports teams will be able to begin training camps in the State while following appropriate health protocols. The Governor encouraged all sports teams to start their training camps as soon as possible and said the State will work with them to accomplish this.
Nikkei regains 21,000 mark after Japan lifts virus emergency
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Monday that the state of emergency declared over the novel coronavirus crisis is over in Japan, ending curbs on economic activity in Tokyo and four other prefectures as experts judged the spread of infections is now under control. The state of emergency had been in place since April for the Tokyo metropolitan area including Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama prefectures, along with Hokkaido in northern Japan, about a week earlier than its scheduled end. But he warned that a re-imposition is possible if infections spike.
With the removal of the restrictions imposed under the state of emergency, the recession-hit Japanese economy is still expected to regain vigor, albeit at a gradual pace. The five prefectures account for about a third of the country’s gross domestic product.
Stocks Gain as German Survey Fuels Optimism
With nervous investors wary of adding to their equity holdings over concerns on what a post-lockdown world would look like, Germany’s Ifo institute survey for May gave some relief. Its business climate index rose to 79.5 from a downwardly revised 74.2 in April, higher than a Reuters poll had forecast, and fueling optimism about the outlook of Europe’s biggest economy after a drop in the first quarter
“Today’s Ifo index echoes more real-time signals that economic and social activity has started to pick up significantly since the first lifting of the lockdown measures in late April,” ING economists said in a note. “In short, the low point of the slump should now be behind us and there even is the chance for a short-lived strong rebound in the coming months.”
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie Joint Statement on Holding Session To Address COVID-19 Related Legislation.
“Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins today announced the Legislature plans to convene session next week to pass legislation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Committee meetings are scheduled to take place on Tuesday, May 26, with session scheduled for the days following. In the interest of public safety, strict social distancing measures will be in effect and temporary rule changes adopted earlier this year will continue to be utilized. Proceedings will take place using web-based teleconference and video conference.”
Treasury Expects Additional Stimulus
Mr. Mnuchin said Thursday that the recession caused by efforts to contain the novel coronavirus will likely bottom out in the second quarter—a view shared by many economists—and predicted a ‘gigantic increase’ in output in the fourth quarter.
He reiterated the preference of the Trump administration and Senate Republicans to hold off on approving additional support for the economy, though he said there’s a ‘strong likelihood’ more will be needed.
The Congressional Budget Office projected Wednesday that the unemployment rate, which shot up to 14.7% last month, would remain at 8.6% at the end of 2021. That’s more than double the 3.5% level seen in February.
Is Fever Detection a Concern?
New scanning technology leverages medical grade sensors to provide manufacturers with accurate thermal scanning capabilities.
As more manufacturers reopen their facilities, it is crucial to ensure that the facility is truly ready to operate within the new norm. Understandably, worker health is a key component.
ThermalPass is a non-imposing, unobtrusive medical grade sensor fever detection system that blends into any environment where people must walk through an entrance way, much like a low-profile metal detector. The system is made up multiple thermal sensors that scan an individual 20-times per second as they walk at a normal pace. Unlike thermal cameras, the sensors are more precise at reading body temperature since they respond to a very limited wavelength range, around 14 microns, which is what the human body generally radiates.
U.S. Business Activity Gets Steadier
The IHS Markit composite index of purchasing managers at manufacturers and service providers improved 9.4 points to 36.4, still the second-lowest in records back to 2009, the group reported Thursday. Readings below 50 indicate contraction.” Meanwhile, April saw the biggest monthly decline in existing home sales in nearly a decade.
Existing-home sales dropped 17.8% in April, the biggest monthly decline since July 2010, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.33 million, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.
Some real-estate brokers and economists say home-shopping demand has started to rise in recent weeks, as parts of the country have loosened restrictions. . . . U.S. home-builder confidence rose in May after collapsing at an unprecedented rate in April, the NAHB reported this week. The association’s housing market index rose to 37 this month, up from 30 in April.”
