News & Media
Coronavirus April 1 Update: The Appropriations Process is Delayed, the White House Doubles Down on Social Distancing, and Hospitals Consider Ventilator Alternatives
White House doubles down on social distancing mitigation strategy
The White House announced details of its social distancing mitigation campaign, which would be in place until April 30 to slow the spread of COVID-19.
"Without the continuation for the next 30 days, anything could change," said Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator. She added that she hopes there aren't any more significant outbreaks in other states. "This is done community by community." She reiterated that 100,000–240,000 deaths were anticipated if Americans stick to the social distancing strategies.
"As sobering a number as that is, we should be prepared for it," said National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci. "We feel so strongly about the additional 30 days of these tough measures, that now is not the time whenever you are having an effect to take your foot off the accelerator."
More than 1.1 million COVID-19 tests have been conducted around the country.
New York hits new daily death peak
New York reported a sharp uptick in deaths Tuesday, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo saying more than 300 residents had died from COVID-19 in the 24-hour period. Deaths have topped 1,500 in New York alone. The statewide total number of cases in New York was 75,795 confirmed as of Tuesday.
The governor, who said his brother had tested positive for the virus, also announced a new hospital network coordinating team that will help organize the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We met with the entire state hospital system for the first time ever and established an unprecedented new approach to work cooperatively as one unified, statewide healthcare system to defeat this virus," said Cuomo. (More on RollCall.com)
Hospitals consider alternatives during ventilator shortage
Hospitals are weighing their options for treating patients under serious equipment constraints, including using one ventilator machine for two patients at the same time.
The Department of Health and Human Services released an open letter to health-care providers on methods to deal with the urgent need for ventilators when there may not be enough machines. Doubling up patients on one ventilator is something being considered, but only on a case-by-case basis under extreme circumstances, according to the guidance: "Co-venting should only be considered as an absolute last resort and for a limited amount of time."
In New York, Columbia University Irving Medical Center is already placing multiple patients on a single ventilator.
A less risky alternative is converting anesthesia gas machines into ventilators. Many of the machines have been freed up as elective surgeries are canceled, and they could add tens of thousands of machines to the national supply. There are also bilevel positive airway pressure, or BiPAP, and continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machines, which help patients breathe, but are less favorable alternatives.
There are between 160,000 and 200,000 ventilators in the United States, according to the Society of Critical Care Medicine, but as many as 960,000 could be needed in a worst-case scenario of infections. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said the Federal Emergency Management Agency and states are competing for shipments of ventilators. The federal government is expecting at least 20,000 new machines for the Strategic National Stockpile by mid-May.
Pandemic delays start of appropriations process
Lawmakers are putting the appropriations process on hold for now during the pandemic. The House and Senate Appropriations panels are holding back on scheduling hearings and markups while Congress' schedule remains in flux. The House committee had planned to begin its markups on April 21, according to a tentative schedule obtained by CQ Roll Call, though that seems unlikely now.
"While the Appropriations Committee does not have any hearings or markups scheduled at this time, the Committee staff is hard at work remotely," committee spokesman Evan Hollander said in a statement.
The delay in markups and hearings could impact when spending bills come to the floor. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer had said he would reserve the month of June for floor debate on the legislation, but Congress' time away from Washington could make that a difficult deadline to meet.
A revised congressional calendar could help with that problem. Hoyer told House members Tuesday to keep their schedules "very flexible," as previously planned District Work Periods could turn into work days, and work weeks could stretch longer as the chamber attempts to catch up on business. Neither chamber is expected to return to the Capitol until at least April 20.