safety

In an announcement this week, Instacart said that it will start providing its full-service shoppers with health and safety kits from third-party manufacturers. These new items are intended to help protect shoppers from contracting the novel coronavirus and developing COVID-19. The company repeatedly stresses that it has been following CDC guidelines, but says now that it is taking 'proactive steps' to give its shoppers a bit of help.

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Apple has launched its own online COVID-19 website and mobile app that helps the public get accurate and timely information about the coronavirus and related infectious disease. Apple says that it made the two new offerings in partnership with health authorities, including the White House Coronavirus Task Force, CDC, and FEMA.

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A report from Dr. Nora Volkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse warned that those with substance abuse disorders have a higher potential for harm when it comes to COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). Dr. Volkow warned those with substance use disorders (SUDs) and those with opioid use disorder (OUD) and methamphetamine use disorder may be hit harder than the general population. "Because it attacks the lungs, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 could be an especially serious threat to those who smoke tobacco or marijuana or who vape."

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Several Amazon employees have tested positive for COVID-19 at shipment and/or fulfillment centers in the United States. Amazon seems to be enacting quarantine measures for these employees and asking that employees who had any "close contact" with their infected co-workers to self-quarantine for 14 days. There have also been notable delays in shipments of non-essential items in the last couple of weeks due to COVID-19 and the fallout.

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Days after news of a potential COVID-19 treatment involving an anti-malarial drug called chloroquine began circulating, Banner Health, a healthcare company that operates hospitals and clinics around the US, has warned the public against DIY health treatments. According to the organization, one person has died and another is in critical condition after consuming the substance.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to phone scammer schemes and malicious attempts to capitalize on panic. The FCC expanded their list of scam and hoax test messages, phone calls, and related media with new coronavirus-related instances that've appeared over the last couple of weeks. These scams range from offers for "free test kits" to a rumor that President Trump will be issuing a "mandatory quarantine" for the entire USA for a 2-week period (he hasn't.)

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Two new bits of Guidance were released today by the FDA in order to get hand sanitizer back in the hands on people that need it the most during our current COVID-19 health emergency. "These guidances provide flexibility to help meet demand during this outbreak," said FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D. "We will continue to work with manufacturers, compounders, state boards of pharmacy and the public to increase the supply of alcohol-based hand sanitizer available to Americans."

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A vaccine trial currently being performed by the FDA is expected to take "12 months" according to FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn. This came right after President Donald Trump suggested that the drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) showed "very encouraging results" with COVID-19, and that "we're going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately."

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There's a global pandemic going on right now thanks an infectious disease called COVID-19, aka "the coronavirus".* COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2, aka severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. If you're reading this article while you're out about town, go home now. Now is the time when you should be isolating yourself by yourself or with your immediate family to avoid further spread.

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If you're having COVID-19 problems, I've got news for you, son, there are plenty of proven sources and an app ain't one. A perfect example of a situation appeared today showing why apps should not be downloaded in a panic. The app was called COVID19Tracker, or Covid Lock, and it locked smartphone users' phones, demanding a ransom. This app went so far as to display a countdown and assurances that the user was being tracked via GPS - just to make extra sure the user, already in a panic over our current global pandemic, was sent into a frenzy.

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AMC isn't shutting down due to the coronavirus, but it is helping the public maintain a distance from each other by limiting capacity in its theaters. According to a new report, AMC Theatres will start capping the number of people who can attend screenings so that they can have multiple empty spaces between them. The goal is to help facilitate 'social distancing' that'll help curb the spread of the disease.

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Today Delta CEO Ed Bastian sent an internal letter with a list of actions that'll be taken to "protect the financial position of the company". This set of actions includes an "overall capacity reduction in the next few months of 40 percent - the largest capacity reduction in Delta's history, including 2001." While the company will maintain service to London, England, they're also complying with the 30-day ban on travel to and from continental Europe announced the night of March 12th (Wednesday).

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