Hi, just a reminder that you're receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in Steve Rao. Don't forget to add sr@steverao.com to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox!
You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails.
|
|
|
|
Hanukkah and Vaccine Edition
|
From the Council Office of Steve Rao
December 12, 2020
|
|
Donate to WRAL/Salvation Army Coats For the Children.
|
|
Governor Coopers’ Modified Stay at Home Order in effect until Jan 5th. Restaurants, Bars and Retailers must close at 10 pm.
(See Curfew Section)
|
|
|
Covid19 Vaccine News Alert |
FDA Approves Emergency Use of Pfizer Covid 19 Vaccine. 2.9 million doses to be issued in next few days and NC to receive 85,000 doses by next week. |
|
Wake County Schools School Board Meets 3 pm on Monday to Discuss a Return to Virtual Learning.
|
|
|
COVID RELIEF BILL AT CRITICAL JUNCTURE TO AVOID GOVT SHUTDOWN
|
|
Chief Justice Beasley postpones in court proceedings for 30 days, beginning Dec. 14.
|
|
We wish all of our Jewish friends and neighbors a very Happy and Blessed Hanukkah and pray for any families who have lost loved ones this year or anyone who is battling illness at this time.
May the light and love of our hearts lift us out of these dark and uncertain times.
|
|
NC expects to receive 85, 500 doses of Pfizer Vaccine next week and to distribute to front line workers in about half of the State’s Hospitals. UNC Health Care and Duke University to receive up to 14,000 doses.
Only 40% of North Carolinians say they will get Vaccine.
|
|
NC Joins Facebook Lawsuit |
Attorney General Josh Stein joins coalition of states in suit against Facebook.
|
|
|
Supreme Court rejects Texas and Trump efforts to overturn election.
|
|
|
NC General Assembly allocated $30 million of Cares Act Funding for Broadband. |
|
FDA Approves Emergency Use of Pfizer Covid19 Vaccine! |
|
This FDA authorization is significant milestone" in the pandemic, which taken more than 295,000 lives in the US and represents one of the most significant advancements
The Pfizer/Biontech vaccine, which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19, was deemed safe and effective by the FDA.
Pfizer plans to have 6.4 million doses ready for the US in its first rollout round in late December. Because two injections are required per person, that is enough for three million people, out of a total US population of 330 million. 2.9 million doses will be distributed in the first few weeks and 5 % of Produced Covid 19 Vaccine will be held back for emergencies.
Vaccines will be paid by insurance or the Government.
Before the announcement on Friday night, the FDA had come under intense pressure from the Trump administration to approve the vaccine's use.
The head of the agency, Stephen Hahn, was told to approve it for emergency use by Friday or quit, US media reported, although he called this "untrue".
The Pfizer vaccine has already received regulatory approval in the UK, Canada, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Like those countries, the US will give its first doses of the vaccine to the elderly, health workers and emergency crew.
|
|
How does the vaccine work? |
The Pfizer Vaccine is a new type called an mRNA vaccine that uses a tiny fragment of genetic code from the pandemic virus to teach the body how to fight Covid-19 and build immunity.
The vaccine contains a small piece of the [Covid-19] virus's mRNA that instructs cells in the body to make the virus's distinctive 'spike' protein.
When a person receives this vaccine, their body produces copies of the spike protein, which does not cause disease, but triggers the immune system to learn to react defensively, producing an immune response against [Covid-19].
The vaccine is given as two injections, 21 days apart, with the second dose being a booster. Immunity begins to kick in after the first dose but reaches its full effect seven days after the second dose.
|
|
Modified Stay at Home Order/Curfew |
Executive order 181 states all individuals must stay at home or the place they will remain for the night” from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Certain businesses must close between those curfew hours – this includes bars, entertainment venues, parks, museums and aquariums.
Exceptions include those going to and from work, while businesses selling groceries, medication, health care supplies and fuel may remain open.
Restaurants, breweries, distilleries and wineries can operate with only take-out and delivery services after 10 p.m.
|
|
NC and the Covid19 Vaccine |
Secretary Cohen has revealed that 53 North Carolina hospitals--decided based on number of beds, number of health care workers in direct contact with COVID-19 patients, and county population--will receive the first shipment of 89,800 vaccines. That includes 11 hospitals identified as having enough ultra cold storage to keep the Pfizer vaccine for a number of weeks, should the authorization process be delayed.
It will first be given to health care workers in hospitals and long-term care facilities who treat or work with COVID patients and those who clean areas where COVID patients are present. The state estimates that population at up to 161,000 people.
As additional vaccines are approved, the state will get additional allocations and will expand distribution to others.
The second group targeted by the state will be residents of long-term care, people over the age of 65 who live in crowded situations such as jails and homeless shelters, and other adults who have two or more chronic conditions that put them at greater risk for a severe case of the coronavirus. That group is estimated to number up to 951,000.
Vaccinating the rest of those at high risk for exposure to COVID-19 will encompass another 1 to 1.5 million people – everyone over 65, those under 65 in crowded situations or who work in frontline jobs and don't have two or more chronic conditions.
The third phase makes vaccine available to anyone in an essential position, according to the state "workers in industries critical to societal functioning," and students in K-12 schools and colleges and universities.
The final phase would include the remainder of the North Carolina population.
|
|
NC Hospitals to Receive Covid19 Vaccine |
NC Hospitals to receive Vaccine
- Bladen Healthcare LLC (Bladen County Hospital)
- Caldwell Memorial Hospital
- CarolinaEast Medical Center
- Catawba Valley Medical Center
- Cumberland County Hospital System Inc (Cape Fear Valley Health System)
- Duke University Health System
- Henderson County Hospital Corporation (Margaret R. Pardee Memorial Hospital)
- Hoke Healthcare LLC (Hoke Hospital)
- The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority (CMC Enterprise)
- University of North Carolina Shared Services Agreement
- Wake Forest Baptist Health
|
|
NCDHHS LAUNCHES PILOT FOR K-12 Covid 19 Testing |
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching a pilot program to deploy COVID-19 testing in K-12 public schools to quickly identify students and staff who may have the virus to help slow its spread.
Local education agencies including public school districts, charter school networks or individual charter schools currently offering any in-person instruction - either Plan A or Plan B - are eligible to apply. Selected pilot sites will receive federally funded rapid antigen tests to be used for students and staff with COVID-19 symptoms or who are close contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
To apply for the program, local education agencies must submit a readiness checklist for each participating school to their local health department. The checklist confirms that a school can meet the program's requirements, including obtaining parental/guardian consent prior to testing, maintaining adequate supplies of personal protective equipment, having trained personnel to administer tests or partnering with a local health provider, and reporting test results to state and local public health agencies. Following review of the readiness checklists, the local health department then submits the application to NCDHHS on behalf of the local education agency.
Pilot applications are due December 8. NCDHHS will select pilot sites based on the pool of eligible applicants. NCDHHS will deliver the rapid tests to pilot sites at no cost to the sites as soon as December 14.
|
|
Please join me on Sunday 4 pm, Monday at 7:30 pm on UNC- TV on Black Issues Forum as we talk about the Biden Transition, Stay at Home Order, and Legalizing Marijuana.
|
|
|
JOIN US TOMORROW AT 4 PM on Radio Mirchi with our interview with Lachelle Wilborn from the Dream Academy of the Pleasant Grove Foundation.
99.9FM HD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
|
|
|
Join me Monday at 10 am on International Broadcast Media TV for a global for World Edition, an update on global politics.
|
|
|
Dec 15th at 7 pm to celebrate the life of Dreamer Jaylen Scott Dunston |
Please join us on Dec 15th at 7 pm to celebrate the life of Dreamer Jaylen Scott Dunston at:
|
|
Dec 17 at 7 pm State of Morrisville and Schools Town Hall |
Morrisville Town Council Member Steve Rao hosts a State of Morrisville and Schools Town Hall with Special Guests Chris Heagarty, Wake Tech President Scott Ralls and other leaders from the County for a look at the Achievements during this tough year and a look at the great things in store for 2021.
The Webinar will be Streamed live on https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao and also covered on Radio Mirchi on 99.9FM, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!
|
|
Morrisville News - Please Participate |
|
TOWN OF MORRISVILLE NAMED FINALIST IN THE GLOBAL SMART CITY CHALLENGE |
It is my pleasure to announce that Morrisville has been selected as a finalist for the 2020 Global Smart Cities Readiness Challenge. Morrisville was named as 1 of 10 finalists and will potentially have the opportunity to lead a Readiness Cohort in 2021. We are working with the Communications Department to get this information out to the community so that they can vote for our submission. You can find more information at the link below.
To vote on our submission, you can click on the ‘begin rating process’ button and use the stars under our video on the following page (BIG thanks to Communications for helping put together our finalist video). The rating will submit once you exit the page. Voting is allowed once per day and closes on January 5. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Please consider supporting Morrisville Smart City efforts by giving our plans 5 stars every day until Jan 5th.
|
|
- For latest Covid 19 information, please dial 2-1-1 or 888- 892-1162.
- Get Updates by texting COVIDNC at 898211.
- For unemployment insurance, please visit NC Dept of Employment Security at https://des.nc.gov/.
-
Apply for Wake Forward program at https://covid19.wakegov.com/wakeforward/.
The latest Centers for Disease Control report predicts somewhere between 294,000 to 321,000 COVID-19 related deaths are possible by Dec. 19.
North Carolina's modified stay-at-home order goes into effect Friday night, with many bars, stores and restaurants having to close at 10 p.m. State leaders hope the new restrictions will help stop the worsening spread of COVID-19. Grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies are some businesses that can remain open.
Alcohol cannot be sold after 9 p.m. as part of the curfew. The order is set to last until Jan. 8.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services on Friday reported a single-day increase of more than 7,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time.
7,540 new cases were reported on Friday.
2,514 people are hospitalized with COVID-19. Hospitalizations have hit a new record every day this week.
303 new confirmed COVID-19 patients were admitted in the last 24 hours. 346 suspected patients were admitted in that same time frame.
CASES:
7,540 New Cases - 10.4% Positive
+ N.C. = 423,623 Cases (Deaths = 5,752)
+ 10.5 % Positive Rate
+ Wake County = 34,786 Cases (Deaths = 322)
+ US = 16 million Cases/296K deaths
+ Worldwide = 71.2 million/1.6 million deaths
+ Completed Tests: 5,850, 241
+ 2,514 Hospitalizations.
|
|
|
|
Council Member Rao holds office hours on Friday from 12:00-1:00 PM by appointment only at 100 Town Hall Drive in Morrisville.
|
|
Council Member Steve Rao
Town of Morrisville
Dedicated to transforming Morrisville into an ideal place to work and raise a family!
|
|
See what's happening on our social sites: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
