As the state considers how and when to ease restrictions, there are three important pieces to consider:
testing, tracing, and trends
• Testing:
We need a major increase in testing capabilities to isolate and track new cases of COVID-19. This means having the supplies and lab capacity to do more diagnostic testing as well as reliable antibody testing that can tell us who may have experienced mild or asymptomatic illness and has now recovered.
• Tracing:
We have to boost our public health workforce to trace and track new cases of COVID-19. Contact tracing can be effective at containing new outbreaks, but it requires a lot of people and legwork. When a new positive case pops up, the tracing efforts will work to identify people who have been in contact so they can get tested and take the right precautions.
• Trends:
In order to ease restrictions, we have to see COVID-19 trends moving in the right direction. This includes trends in the number of new positive cases, hospitalizations, deaths, as well as available supply of personal protective equipment, hospital capacity and more.
Any easing of restrictions will still have to protect the most vulnerable – people over 65, those with an underlying condition and residents of congregate living facilities.
The Office of Senator Kirk deViere will continue to offer updates and resources via email and on social media. Our office remains open to help with any constituent issues.
