Live now to discussion with main senator angus king who joins Healthcare Providers and Bipartisan Policy Center experts on the use of telehealth during the covid pandemic. Health team led by, Catherine Hayes and others. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the Bipartisan Policy Center we were established a a little over a decade ago by four former majority leaders, senator bob dole, late senator howard baker on the republican side. Senator tom daschle and senator George Mitchell on the democratic side. Senator mitchell from the great state of maine which youll hear shortly his estate, very well represented here this morning. The country is indeed, indeed the world quite frankly is experiencing a once in a lifetime pandemic caused untold suffering and death. Doctors, nurses, hospitals, Healthcare Providers are struggling to provide Critical Care under some very difficult conditions. But if there is any good, and theres that much, but if theres any good to come out of this virus,
Care and Distribution Systems and imposing a deadly toll on seniors, in particular. It has hit close to home for many on this committee and im sure that all of our members want to join me in expressing our condolences to senator elizabeth warren, who lost her 86yearold brother to the coronavirus. Elizabeth, were very sorry for your loss. Restrictions on visitors to Nursing Homes have affected even those families whose relatives do not have the virus. I know two brothers from maine whose father is in a nursing home and has dementia. They have not been able to see him for some time now and his health is failing. They are worried that he may not still be alive by the time that they are allowed to visit him. Something that used to happen regularly. This virus has already claimed the lives of more than 90,000 americans, the vast majority of whom were older adults. Adults aged 65 and older are more likely to suffer severe complications from covid19 and to have more difficult recoveries. They
Covid19 crisis. It has brought tremendous hardship and tragedy, placing a heavy on frontline workers, straining our health care and Distribution System and imposing a deadly toll on seniors in particular. It has hit close to home for sure thatny and im all of our members want to join condolencessing our to senator elizabeth warren, who lost her 86yearold brother to the coronavirus. Elizabeth, we are very sorry for your loss. Visitor Nursing Homes has affected even those relatives who do not have virus. I know two brothers whose father is in a nursing home and has dementia. They have not able to see him for some time now and his health is failing. They are worried that he may not still be alive by the time that they are allowed to visit him, something that used to happen regularly. This virus has already claimed the lives of more than 90,000 american, the vast majority of whom were older adult. Adults 65 and older are more likely to suffer severe complications from covid19, and to have
Nursing home community. We have worked to dramatically scale up our Testing Capacity because we believe testing is crucial not only to our current efforts to understand and slow the spread of this disease, not because it will play a Critical Role over the longterm as we work to decisions around reopening parts of our community. We are continuing to make progress. 126,551cted a total of tests. Tests yesterday were conducted at 28 sites across the mouth across the commonwealth. This makes massachusetts one of the leading states in the country with respect to testing. We are grateful to our colleagues in the medical community. These laboratories are a big part of massachusetts progress on this front. That includes quest diagnostics, the broad institute, and many other public and private sector hospitals. Their contributions and partnerships are another example of how massachusetts nation leading healthcare and innovation leaders are helping us respond to this unprecedented outbreak. In ma
Good morning. Today we are going to provide an update on covid19 testing, personal protective equipment, Hospital Capacity, and a rundown on the approach we have taken to supporting our nursing home community. Worked towe have dramatically scale up our testing capacity. Thats because we believe testing is crucial not only to our current efforts to understand the spread of this disease but because it will play a Critical Role over the longterm term as we work through decisions around reopening parts of our community. We are continuing to make progress. As of yesterday we conducted a , total of 126,551 tests. Testsncludes a new 4500 conducted yesterday which were conducted at 28 sites across the mouth across the commonwealth. This makes massachusetts one of the leading states in the country with respect to testing. We are grateful to our colleagues in the medical community. These laboratories are a big part of massachusetts progress on this front. That includes quest diagnostics, the bro