Complete Story
10/21/2020
COVID-19 Updates from Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky
Ohio State Updates: 10/14 - 10/20
Dividend checks from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation will be mailed to employers beginning this week. The dividend amount totals approximately $1.3 billion. The money is being given back to employers in response to Governor DeWine's request in August that the Ohio BWC Board of Directors approve a second dividend to provide financial support for public and private employers impacted by the ongoing pandemic. These checks will be mailed to employers throughout the end of October.
A wide-ranging program to address the needs of struggling Ohioans, including funding for rent, mortgages, and water and sewer utility bills, as well as funding for small businesses and nonprofits, will be announced in the near future.
The White House Coronavirus Task Force strongly recommends that Ohioans limit gatherings with family and friends to prevent the virus from spreading to those most at risk of complications. The recommendation follows the increase in community spread in Ohio initiated by small social gatherings.
The governor continued a travel advisory for all individuals coming into Ohio from states reporting positive COVID-19 testing rates of 15% or higher. Those traveling from one of the following states should self-quarantine for 14 days at home or in a hotel: Alabama, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Utah. The self-quarantine recommendation applies to those who live in Ohio and to people who are traveling into Ohio from any of these states. Ohio's positivity rate, an indicator of the percentage of people who have tested positive for COVID-19, was 4.9% over the last 7 days (up from 4.0%). Visit www.coronavirus.ohio.gov for tips on how to effectively quarantine.
Ohio continued to see an increase in new COVID-19 cases, with an average of 2,049 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 1,563 new cases per day over the previous 7 days.
Michigan State Updates: 10/14 - 10/20
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) and Michigan State University (MSU) launched a COVID-19 exposure notification app pilot program on MSU’s campus and for the surrounding community. The app is a next step to help reduce the spread of the virus following increased testing and additional contact tracing efforts in Michigan.
When a person tests positive for COVID-19, they receive a pin from the local health department or State of Michigan case investigators that allows them to share their test results anonymously on the app. MI COVID Alert uses low energy Bluetooth technology to detect nearby phones that also have the app. Michigan worked with Apple and Google to make MI COVID Alert compatible with similar apps in other states. If a MI COVID Alert user has been in close contact with someone who submitted a positive COVID-19 test result, a push notification will be sent to their phone once the positive test result is entered into the system. A notification means the app user was possibly within six feet for at least 15 minutes of someone who tested positive and shared their result. The app works in conjunction with traditional contact tracing, mask-wearing, hand washing and social distancing, but is not a replacement for these precautions or participation in contact tracing. It is another, possibly faster way to know about possible exposure to COVID-19. The State of Michigan will evaluate expansion of the app statewide based on results of the pilot program.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed emergency rules to clarify workers’ compensation coverage for health care employees and first responders who have tested positive for COVID-19. The emergency rules apply to workers in the medical industry, including hospitals, medical care facilities, and emergency medical services, as well as law enforcement, fire safety, and others. These employees are presumed eligible for compensable personal injuries under the Workers’ Disability Compensation Act if they are diagnosed with COVID-19, either by a physician or as the result of a presumed positive test result.
Governor Whitmer announced that the state is investing more than $1 million and will contact more than 1 million Michiganders to help those who may have lost health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic get covered. There are a number of ways for people to get no- or low-cost health insurance, and this investment will help raise awareness and increase access to those programs. The $1 million investment, through the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, will support community-based organizations that help people enroll in coverage, virtual health insurance educational programs, and an advertising campaign that will target communities impacted by COVID-19-related job losses.
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) has been awarded $17,827,178.11 million in a U.S. Department of Education competitive grant to respond to the economic impact of COVID-19 in the state. These federal funds will help Michigan jobseekers make the jump from education and training to employment by delivering short- and mid-term customized training solutions.
LEO’s Office of Employment and Training will implement the Michigan Learning and Education Advancement Program (MiLEAP) with the new grant award. MiLEAP will provide funds to subgrantees to assist jobseekers in transitioning from short- and mid-term education and training programs to high-skill, high-wage career pathways, resulting in industry-recognized credential attainment and reduced educational debt.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bills 886 and 991 codifying part of her executive orders expanding unemployment benefits to Michiganders. The bills the governor signed will extend unemployment benefits for Michiganders who have lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic from 20 to 26 weeks until the end of the year. While the bills signed codify the majority of the governor’s executive orders on unemployment, the legislature failed to extend the governor’s efforts to speed up claim processing by allowing UIA to review only a claimant’s most recent employer separation. UIA must now evaluate every job a worker has left in the past 18 months – a waste of resources because employers are not being directly charged for benefits paid at this time.
Kentucky State Updates: 10/14 - 10/20
"Our COVID report adds to a tough week,” said Governor Beshear. “We need to buckle down; we need to wear masks; we need to follow that rule of no gatherings above 10 people at our homes. We need to social distance and we shouldn’t play politics with this virus. It is real. It doesn’t matter if there’s an election a couple of weeks away.”
“October is on pace to be our highest ever number of coronavirus cases reported within a month,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Department for Public Health. “We’re in the midst of an escalation in cases and our hospitalizations are increasing now, too. As the holidays approach, it’s imperative to limit further spread. Practice social distancing, wear a face covering and practice good hand hygiene to reduce your chances of contracting COVID-19.”
The Kentucky Public Service Commission ended its moratorium on disconnections for nonpayment for the utilities it regulates on October 20. To ensure there were protections when that began, the Governor signed an executive order that ends the statewide moratorium on disconnections for nonpayment on November 6, but takes additional steps to help Kentuckians. The executive order designates $15 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds for the Healthy at Home Utility Relief Fund, which will provide relief for Kentuckians at risk of natural gas, water, wastewater or electric service disconnection. The order will also require utilities to create a payment plan for residential customers that runs no less than six months. It will continue to waive late fees on utility bills for residential customers through Dec. 31, 2020. “Customers will apply through Community Action of Kentucky, but the funds will go directly to the utility. Kentuckians can find additional assistance paying for utilities through the funds and organizations listed here.
The Kentucky Department for Public Health, an agency of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, announced an initial, comprehensive draft plan for distributing the COVID-19 vaccine to local health departments and health care organizations. The first shipment of the vaccine is anticipated for delivery in late 2020 or early 2021 to Kentucky from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Defense. Today, Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Department for Public Health, shared new details from that plan, including the phases for distribution outlined in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine. To learn more about each phase, see page 44-45 of the state’s draft COVID-19 vaccination plan.
Governor Andy Beshear announced more than $780,000 in federal funding has been awarded to Kentucky public safety agencies and offices to help protect Kentuckians, including seniors, against scams and fraud and to respond to price gouging during the fight against the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). “Kentuckians have been resilient during this pandemic, but unfortunately there are criminals who have targeted our people, particularly our seniors and those facing financial difficulty during this already difficult time,” said Gov. Beshear. “This funding provides resources to our law enforcement and public safety agencies to take forceful action to stop predators and protect Kentuckians.” Funds will be dispersed between the Office of Consumer Protection Enforcement Unit to bolster anti-price gouging efforts and the Attorney General’s Office of Senior Protection to address a dramatic expansion in financial fraud and exploitation targeting Kentucky’s senior population.
New COVID-19 cases have increased in Kentucky again this week, with an average of 1,109 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 889 new cases per day over the previous 7 days. Day-to-day numbers continue to fluctuate.
