On Friday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified that an aide to Vice President Pence tested positive for COVID-19. That individual, later identified by President Trump as a press person named "Katie," turned out to be the Vice President's press secretary Katie Miller, She is married to Stephen Miller, a top aide to President Trump. Katie Miller also serves as a lead press officer for the coronavirus task force led by Vice President Pence.
The announcement came less than 24 hours after a top military aide to President Trump also tested positive. While the name of this individual has not been made public, White House sources indicate he or she is in the Navy and is assigned to the White House as a valet to President Trump.
According to Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley, "The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health."
11 Secret Service Agents Test Positive
According to a DHS document reviewed by Yahoo News, 11 members of the U.S. Secret Service have tested positive for COVID-19. 23 others have already recovered and an additional 60 employees are self-quarantining. No details have been provided about which members of the Secret Service are infected or if any have recently been on detail with the president or vice president.
Readers are reminded that coronavirus case numbers continue to climb in the DC, Maryland and Virginia area, with more than 57,000 confirmed infections and more than 2,600 deaths in the nation’s capital and its neighboring states.
Homeland Defense Amid the Crisis
As previously reported, key contingency plans for the nation's defense in the midst of the crisis have been in play for months. Northern Command has dispersed and isolated essential command and control teams to multiple hardened locations, including the Cheyenne Mountain bunker complex in Colorado.
Joint Task Force National Capital Region (JTF-NCR), numbering in the thousands and charged with facilitating Continuity of Government operations and securing the nation's capital, are already on 24/7 alert, specially sequestered on military bases to ensure their readiness.
For a broad overview of the Dept. of Defense response to the COVID-19 crisis as of May 6, SEE THIS.
Hospitalization May Disqualify Military Recruits
Military Times has revealed that anyone who has been previously hospitalized with COVID-19 will be medically disqualified from joining the military. This, according to interim guidance issued by the U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command. The Department of Defense laid out the recommendations in an internal memo which was updated on Wednesday, after a previous, more strictly worded guidance document began circulating on social media. That stricter guidance stated the following:
“During the medical history interview or examination, a history of COVID-19, confirmed by either a laboratory test or a clinician diagnosis, is permanently disqualifying,"
The revised guidance takes a softer line, suggesting that it is not the infection specifically that military officials are concerned about, but the possibility of lingering health complications for recovered patients.
As of Friday evening, the U.S. has documented more than 1,273,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and more than 76,400 deaths. Thats more than 76,400 brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandparents, sons, daughters and close friends, all lost to the China virus.
AlertsUSA urges readers to use common sense as the country slowly begins to reopen for business. While yes, it might be a pain, mask up when in crowded public venues and observe the social distancing guidelines, not only for your well being, but also that of others. Remember, you can be a carrier of the virus, not feel the slightest bit sick, and still be highly infectious. This poses a particular danger to those groups who are most vulnerable.
OFFICIAL CASE NUMBERS
World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control (U.S.)
Johns Hopkins CSSE (Interactive map updated multiple times daily)
WHO RISK OF SPREAD & IMPACT ASSESSMENT
China Very High
Regional Level Very High
Global Level Very High
PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE RESOURCES
White House
Guidelines for Opening Up America Again
Official Coronavirus Information Pages:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Food and Drug Administration
Public Health Agency of Canada
Infection Prevention and Control Canada
World Health Organization
Official Pandemic Preparedness Guidance:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Homeland Security / Ready.Gov
World Health Organization
DIY CLOTH MASK RESOURCES
Don't buy the masks online. At the present time, most retail masks are made in China anyhow. Make it at home.
CDC Homemade Cloth Face Coverings
Instructables DIY Cloth Face Mask
NYT How to Sew a Face Mask
The Olson Mask Pattern
Assorted Resources
(While some of the resources below were prepared for pandemic influenza, the broader guidance contain therein is directly applicable to the current coronavirus crisis).
Home Care for Patients w/ Suspected Coronavirus Infection
Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza
Fundamentals of Emergency Planning for Schools
Healthcare Systems Preparedness for COVID-19
Pub Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness & Response (SARS)
Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
Faith-based & Community Org. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Checklist
WHO Checklist for Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Planning
Get Your Workplace Ready for Pandemic Flu
Dept of Defense Coronavirus Response Page
DHS Supplemental Instructions For Inbound Flights
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AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant.
