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THIS JOHN: THIS IS BREAKING NEWS FROM KETV NEWSWATCH 7 AND KETV.COM. I AM JOHN OAKEY. OMAHA MAYOR JEAN STOTHERT AND OTHER CITY LEADERS ARE JUST BEGINNING A NEWS CONFERENCE TO LET US KNOW HOW THE CITY WILL RESPOND TO THE COVID-19 VIRUS. AS OF NOW, THE ONLY CASES HERE INVOLVE PEOPLE WHO TRAVELED AND RETURNED TO THE CITY. LET’S LISTEN INTO THE MAYOR. MAYOR STOTHERT: THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE IN YOUR TODAY. BECAUSE WE ARE ALL IMPACTED BY CORONAVIRUS, COVID-19. WE ARE DILIGENTLY WORKING WITH DOUGLAS COUNTY AND OUR HEALTH CARE PARTNERS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY. WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO LOWER THE RISK AND REDUCE THE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS A RAPIDLY CHANGING SITUATION, WHICH REQUIRES ACTION, FLEXIBILITY, AND THOROUGH, ACCURATE INFORMATION. THESE ARE OUR PRIORITIES AS WE DEVELOP AND UPDATE PLANS TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS, OUR EMPLOYEES, AND TO CONTINUE CITY AND COUNTY OPERATIONS AND SERVICES. WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER THIS MORNING. POLICE CHIEF TODD SCHMADERER AND FIRE CHIEF DAN OLSEN WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HOW THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE RESPONDING. DOUGLAS COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN CLARE DUDA WILL UPDATE COUNTY PLANS AND ACTIONS. I WILL GO OVER CITY OPERATIONAL PLANS. CAROL ALLENSWORTH IS HERE TODAY, REPRESENTING DR. BOADIPOUR, AND SHE IS THE EPIDEMIOLOGIST FOR DOUGLAS COUNTY, AND SHE WILL PROVIDE THE UPDATE FOR THE DOUGLAS HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE MANY IN THE ROOM WHO CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. WE HAVE HR DIRECTOR DOUG SANDER, DOUGLAS COUNTY CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER PATRICK BLOOMINGDALE. EMERGENCY MANAGER PAUL JOHNSON, NUMBER ONE DIRECTOR KATHY ALLEN, TREASURER JOHN EWING, ELECTION COMMISSIONER BRIAN CRUZ, DIRECTOR MIKE MYERS, PAUL COHEN, WHO IS OUR BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR, SHERIFFS’S CAPTAIN WAYNE HUDSON, AND MEKA PRESIDENT ROGER DIXON. WE ARE ALL HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. LET’S START WITH CAROL ALLENSWORTH FOR THE LATEST UPDATE. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS ALSO LEADING THE UNIFIED COMMAND THAT MET FOR THE FIRST TIME YESTERDAY TO COORDINATE THE RESPONSE, SO NOW I WILL HAVE HER SPEAK. MS. ALLENSWORTH: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE FEARED I AM CAROL ALLENSWORTH, AS SHE SAID, AND I WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE. AS A 9:00 THIS MORNING, GLOBALLY, WE HAVE SEEN 121 THOUSAND CASES OF COVID-19, WITH OVER 2300 DEATHS. IN THE UNITED STATES, AS OF THIS MORNING, THERE WERE 1039 CASES OF COVID-19 IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH 25 DEATHS. IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, HERE LOCALLY, WE HAVE HAD FOUR CASES, AND THAT INCLUDES THE CASE THAT WAS REPORTED JUST YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THE LATEST CASE WAS A WOMAN IN HER 40’S WHO HAD TRAVELED TO CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA. HER HOUSEHOLD AND VERY CLOSE CONTACTS ARE AT HOME IN SOUTH QUARANTINE AT THIS TIME. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING, TO DETERMINE IF ANYBODY ELSE OR WHATEVER -- WHAT OTHER EXPOSURES MIGHT HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DURING THE COURSE OF THIS RESPONSE HAS WORKED WITH OVER 500 INDIVIDUALS, AND AMONG THOSE, WE HAVE 290 INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN HOME QUARANTINE, AND ANOTHER 44 THAT ARE BEING ACTIVELY MONITORED TO TOUCH BASE ON THEIR TEMPERATURE, SYMPTOMS EVERY DAY. WE ALSO ARE RUNNING CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION LINE. WE HAVE RECEIVED 380 FIVE CALLS ON THAT LINE SINCE MONDAY. A LOT OF THOSE HAVE BEEN GENERAL PUBLIC QUESTIONS. WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR PUBLIC INFORMED. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THE MEDICAL PROVIDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE WORKING HAND-IN-HAND WITH PUBLIC HEALTH. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH STRONG HEALTH SYSTEMS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY ARE ALL A PART OF WHAT IS KNOWN AS OMAHA HEALTH CARE COALITION, WHICH WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THEY EACH HAVE DEVELOPED SEVERAL COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR THE PUBLIC. THEY ALSO HAVE A HOTLINE WEBSITE AND PHONE SCREENING OPTIONS AVAILABLE. THEY WOULD LIKE ME TO BRING THIS MESSAGE TO THE PUBLIC THAT EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS ARE FOR THOSE WITH SERIOUS HEALTH CONDITIONS ONLY, NOT JUST A MINOR CASE WITH THE SNIFFLES, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO CORONAVIRUS AND ARE EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS, THEY SHOULD BE CONTACTED -- CONTACTING ONE OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM’S PHONE NUMBERS OR THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE PROVIDER TO DISCUSS THE NEXT STEPS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DO NOT JUST SHOW UP AT A MEDICAL FACILITY, WHICH WILL HELP US TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD TO OTHERS IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND SO I THINK, AGAIN, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THOSE MAJOR MESSAGES FOR CORONAVIRUS, IF YOU ARE SICK, STAY-AT-HOME, COVER YOUR COUGH, COVER YOUR SNIFFLES, DISINFECTED FREQUENTLY-TOUCHED SURFACES, STAY AWAY FROM OTHERS WHO ARE SICK, AND I THINK ONE OF THE KEY MESSAGES, WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS, AND DO THAT FOR A MINIMUM TIME OF 20 SECONDS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MAYOR STOTHERT: I SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER LAST FRIDAY, MARCH 6, THAT REQUIRES ALL DEPARTMENTS TO UPDATE THEIR EXISTING CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN, TO PROTECT THE CITY’S WORKFORCE AND ALSO TO HELP AVOID INTERRUPTIONS TO SERVICES IN THE EVENT OF WIDESPREAD ILLNESS. PREPARING AND PROTECTING OUR WORKFORCE WILL HELP AVOID INTERRUPTION TO SERVICES. OUR DIRECTORS HAVE IDENTIFIED CLINICAL -- CRITICAL SERVICES AND PERSONNEL THAT WILL BE NEEDED TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONS IN EACH OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS. WE ALSO HAVE ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES, AND WE DO HAVE A NETWORK CAPACITY SO THAT ALL CITY EMPLOYEES COULD WORK FROM HOME IF NECESSARY. WE ARE PREPARED SO THAT CITY GOVERNMENT CAN CONTINUE. CHIEF OLSEN AND CHIEF SCHMADERER HAVE NOTIFIED THEIR DEPARTMENTS THIS MORNING OF ACTIONS THAT WILL PROTECT THE OFFICERS, THE FIREFIGHTERS, AND THE CITIZENS. I WILL NOW ASK THE TWO CHIEFS TO COME FORWARD, FIRST, CHIEF SCHMADERER. CHIEF SCHMADERER: THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I WANT TO REITERATE THE SIMPLE PROCEDURE OF WASHING YOUR HANDS. THE REASON I DO THAT IS IT IS A VERY SIMPLE PROCEDURE THAT CAN MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19, BUT IT ALSO PUTS THIS IN PERSPECTIVE AS MY WAY OF SAYING, WASH YOUR HANDS, LET’S REMAIN CALM. THE SAFETY OF ALL OMAHA POLICE EMPLOYEES IS A TOP PRIORITY, AND AS A DEPARTMENT WHOSE MISSION IS CRITICAL TO THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT MUST TAKE MEASURES TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR WORKFORCE. OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, EFFECTIVE TODAY, ALL TRAVEL AND OUTSIDE TRAINING IS HEREBY SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE WITHIN THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT. OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IS BEING TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED, AS MANY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE 70 PLUS. THEY ARE VULNERABLE TO THIS VIRUS. THE DEPARTMENT HAS PREORDERED AN EXTRA ALARM AND A PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO THE OFFICERS TO RESPOND TO THE COVID-19 VIRUS WHEN WE COME IN CONTACT WITH IT, TO BE PREPARED FOR PREVENTATIVE MEASURES, AND WE HAVE ORDERED, WITH THE PRESUMPTION THAT THIS COULD LAST A WHILE. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH NUMBER ONE MEDICATIONS AND TRIAGE PRIORITY CALLS FOR MORE AGGRESSIVE PRESERVATION OF OUR RESOURCES AS NEEDED. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THERE ARE TWO PRIORITIES, PRIORITY ONE CALLS AND PRIORITY TWO CALLS, ALWAYS WILL RECEIVE AN IMMEDIATE POLICE WORK SPONSOR -- POLICE RESPONSE. PRIORITIES THREE AND FOUR, ACCIDENTS, AT OUR DISCRETION AT THE TIME, WE COULD DISPOSE OF THOSE CALLS OR REROUTE THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE. AT THIS TIME, THERE HAS BEEN NO MODIFICATION TO OUR 911 RESPONSE TO CALLS. WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO HIRE EXTRA CLEANING PERSONNEL TO DOUBLE UP ON ALL OF THE FACILITIES AND CLEANING WITHIN OUR WORKSTATIONS. AND SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY, EACH DEPUTY CHIEF HAS IDENTIFIED PERSONNEL THAT CAN WORK FROM HOME, NOT YOUR UNIFORMED RESPONDERS, PERHAPS DETECTIVES AND SUPPORT STAFF, IN THE EVENT WE NEED TO GO THAT ROUTE. AS OF THIS TIME, NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO WORK FROM HOME. SO LET ME END BY SAYING SIMPLE HANDSHAKING, TRY TO AVOID. WASH YOUR HANDS. THESE ARE A COUPLE SIMPLE MEASURES TO MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF COVID. I LIKE TO USE IT, BECAUSE IT TENDS TO BRING HOMES -- CALM, WASH YOUR HANDS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, ETC. THANK YOU. JOHN: THANK YOU, -- CHIEF OLSEN: THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU, CHIEF. GOOD MORNING. THE OMAHA FARD HARMON HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO PREPARE FOR A COVID-19. WE ARE WORKING WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND CITY OFFICIALS. WE ALSO COLLABORATE WITH HEALTH CARE OFFICIALS, THE CDC, DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND UNMC. I WANT TO THANK MAYOR STOTHERT FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND ASSISTANCE. THE OMAHA FIRE DEPARTMENT IS IN THE HEALTH CARE BUSINESS AND HAS MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TREATING AND TRANSPORTING PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM SERIOUS ELEMENTS. MOST IMPORTANTLY -- SERIOUS AILMENTS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE EXPERIENCE TRANSPORTING PATIENTS WITH EBOLA AND NOW VCOVID PATIENTS. SINCE THAT TIME OF OUR FIRST EBOLA PATIENT, WE HAVE ASSISTED IN TRANSPORTING PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM COVID-19. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE OMAHA FIRE DEPARTMENT IS IN A GOOD POSITION TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN A SAFE AND EFFICIENT MANNER. IN TERMS OF OUR DEPARTMENT’S PREPARATION FOR COVID-19, OUR TOP PRIORITY IS THAT SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR CITIZENS. OUR TRAINING, OUR EXPERIENCE, OUR POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS, IT IS IN A VERY GOOD POSITION TO KEEP OUR MEMBERS SAFE AND WELL WHILE ALSO ALLOWING US TO SAVE OUR COMMUNITY. AT THIS TIME, THE OMAHA FIRE DEPARTMENT’S RESPONSE PROTOCOL HAS NOT CHANGED. IF COVID-19 BECOMES A MORE WIDESPREAD ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE ARE PREPARED TO COLLABORATE AND EVALUATE. THE CDC IS RECOMMENDING THAT SUSPECTED PATIENTS SHELTER AT HOME. IF EMERGENCY CALLS ARE RECEIVED AT DOUGLAS COUNTY 911, THE SCREENING PROCESS WILL TAKE PLACE, AND FIRE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS WILL BE ADVISED TO THE NATURE OF THE CALLED YOU THE NATURE OF THE LEVEL OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT THAT WILL BE DONE BY FIREFIGHTERS, AND WE WILL BE FOLLOWING CDC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS. TO BREAK IT DOWN, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR LOW RISK PATIENTS WILL BE GLOVES, GOGGLES, AND MASKS. TO BREAK IT DOWN EVEN FURTHER, PROTECTION FOR HIGH RISK PATIENTS WILL BE GLOVES, GOGGLES, MASKS, AND GALLONS. IF THE PATIENT’S CONDITION WARRANTS TRANSPORT TO THE HOSPITAL, FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL WILL FOLLOW PROTOCOL. MOST INCIDENT PROTOCOL MANDATES DECONTAMINATION OF OUR MEDIC UNITS, OUR EQUIPMENT, OR FIREFIGHTERS UNIFORMS, AND THE FIREFIGHTERS THEMSELVES. THIS IS BASED ON THE LEVEL OF SUSPECTED CONTAMINATION. WE HAVE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE FOR REPORTING SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS, ACCIDENTS, INJURIES, AND EXPOSURES. IF FIREFIGHTERS -- IF A FIREFIGHTER EXHIBITS SYMPTOMS AND HAS TRANSPORTED A COVID-19 PATIENT, THE FOLLOWING WILL TAKE PLACE. WE WILL SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE FIREFIGHTER. DR. CHAPLIN WILL COMMUNICATE WITH DOCTORS FROM THE BIO CONTAINMENT UNIT AT UNC. TOGETHER, THE DOCTORS WILL MAKE THE DECISION OF WHETHER OR NOT TO TEST THE FIREFIGHTERS BASED ON THE RISK EXPOSURE AND THE SEVERITY OF THE FIREFIGHTER’S SYMPTOMS. IF COVID-19 BECOMES MORE WIDESPREAD IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT PLAN WILL BE REEVALUATED. IN TERMS OF OUR EQUIPMENT, WE DO HAVE A CACHET OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS IS INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE -- EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE ON HAND AND A DAILY BASIS AND THAT WE USE IN FIELD ON A DAILY BASIS. IN TERMS OF OUR INFORMATION FLOW, WE HAVE RELAYED TO OUR MEMBERS THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO EXPECT A STEADY FLOW OF INFORMATION IN THE FORM OF FIRE CHIEF’S DIRECTIVES, CHAIN OF COMMAND DIRECTIVES, SAFETY MEMOS, GENERAL ORDERS, AND PAUSE -- POLICY AND PARTICLE BROADCASTS. IN TERMS OF THE MEDIA, I WOULD ASK THAT ALL MEDIA REQUESTS WOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE FIRE CHIEF’S OFFICE AND OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION OFFICER. THANK YOU. MAYOR STOTHERT: LIKE THE CITY OF OMAHA, DOUGLAS COUNTY IS ALSO PREPARED. I WOULD LIKE NOW TO ALSO INVITE COMMISSIONER CLARE DUDA TO THE PODIUM, WHO IS NOW PRESIDENT OF THE DOUGLAS COUNTY BOARD. CLARE? MR. DUDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD MORNING. IN ADDITION TO SERVING AS CHAIR OF THE DOUGLAS COUNTY BOARD, I AM HERE AS VICE CHAIR OF THE BUILDING COMMISSION, REPRESENTED BOTH ENTITIES. I WANT TO START BY THANKING CAROL ALLENSWORTH AND ALL THE STUFF WITH HER INCREDIBLE RESPONSE OF COVID-19. THEY ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. OVERSEEING THE COMMUNITY IS NO EASY TASK, AND OUR COUNTY HEALTH TAKES THAT ON WITH GREAT SERIOUSNESS. AS YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION REMAINS FLUID, AND WE ARE EVALUATING AT 24/7 TO ENSURE THE PUBLIC STAYS INFORMED. AS OF YESTERDAY, TUESDAY MORNING, WE HAVE SUSPENDED VISITATION AT THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH CENTER. . UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. WE RECOGNIZE THE HARDSHIP THIS MAY CAUSE RESIDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, BUT IT IS A NECESSARY STEP TO PROTECT OUR LONG-TERM CARE AND HOSPICE RESIDENTS, WHO ARE CONSIDERED HIGH RISK FOR COVID-19. WE ARE AND PLUMMETING SCREENING PROCEDURES AT THE DOUGLAS COUNTY YOUTH CENTER, THE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER CENTER, AND GENERAL ASSISTANCE. OUR COUNTY JAIL ALREADY HAS VIDEO VISITATION IN PLACE, AND WE ARE LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING ALL VISITATION CONDUCTED ONLINE IF NECESSARY. WITHIN DOUGLAS COUNTY GOVERNMENT, EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND ELECTED OFFICES MAINTAINS A CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN. DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN REVIEWING THESE PLANS AND UPDATING THEM AS NECESSARY TO PREPARE FOR A POSSIBILITY OF AN OUTBREAK OF COVID-19. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT OUR DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES WILL BE ABLE TO PROPERLY RESPOND SHOULD SUCH AN OUTBREAK OCCUR. WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE EMPLOYEES WORK FROM HOME IN DEPARTMENTS WHERE IT IS FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT TO DO SO. IN OUR 24/HOUR OPERATIONS, SUCH AS 911 AND THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CALL IN STAFF FROM OTHER SHIFTS WHEN NECESSARY, SHOULD THERE BE A STAFFING SHORTAGE DUE TO AN OUTBREAK. I AM JOINED HERE TODAY BY SEVERAL DOUGLAS COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE ELECTION COMMISSIONER, AND DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS WHO CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS MORE DIRECTLY THAT YOU MAY HAVE SPECIFIC TO THEIR OPERATIONS, SHOULD AN OUTBREAK OCCUR. THANK YOU. MAYOR STOTHERT: THANK YOU, CLARE. MANY HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLIC EVENTS COMING UP, AND HOW OR IF THOSE EVENTS WILL BE CANCELED OR POSTPONED. BY STATE STATUTE, THE GOVERNOR AND THE LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ORDER CLOSINGS OR CANCEL EVENTS. THE CITY OF OMAHA MUNICIPAL CODE ALSO GIVES THE MAYOR AUTHORITY TO ACT IN VERY LIMITED AND EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES. CHAPTER EIGHT APPLIES TO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, AND CHAPTER 12 APPLIES TO HELP AND SANITATION. -- HEALTH AND SANITATION. THESE COULD APPLY IF IT IS EXTREME, WIDESPREAD, OR DEADLY. HOWEVER, THE PRIMARY AUTHORITIES TO THE GOVERNOR AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS. A FEW IMPORTANT NOTES, WE HAVE MANY PUBLIC SPACES IN THIS BUILDING AND IN THE COURTHOUSE. THE BUILDING COMMISSION WILL DISINFECT THE ENTIRE COMPLEX, FLOOR BY FLOOR, EVERY WEEK, IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR OFFICE CLEANING. THIS WILL CONTINUE WEEKLY AS LONG AS IT IS NEEDED. LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, INDOOR POOLS, THE PERMITS DIVISION, AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, ALL CITY FACILITIES ARE OPEN AT THIS TIME. THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU IS IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH MEETING AND EVENT PLANNERS, OMAHA HOTELS AND VENUES, OMAHA IS STILL BE FOR BUSINESS. SECRETARY OF STATE BOB EVIDENT CALLED ME THE OTHER NIGHT, MONDAY EVENING, AND ASKED ME TO REMIND YOU AND REMIND EVERYONE THAT YOU CAN REQUEST FOR A PRIMARY MAIL-IN BALLOT IN A TIME UP UNTIL THE FIRST OF MAY. HE HAS NO PLANS TO CANCEL THE MAY PRIMARY. BRIAN CRUZ IS HERE TODAY, AND HE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THAT OPTION AND DEADLINES. COMMUNICATION, TODAY, WE WILL ADD A PAGE TO THE CITY AND COUNTY WEBSITE HOMEPAGE IS TO MAKE INFORMATION EASY TO FIND AND ACCESSIBLE. THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED CONSTANTLY WITH NEW INFORMATION AND RESOURCES. BEFORE QUESTIONS, TWO FINAL POINTS. ONCE AGAIN, PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY ARE OUR PRIORITIES. WE WILL PREPARE, WE WILL ACT RESPONSIBLE, BUT WE WILL NOT PANIC. THIS VIRUS IS NOT LIFE-THREATENING FOR AT LEAST 97% TO 98% OF THOSE WHO BECOME INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS, BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE DON’T NEED TO CHANGE OUR HABITS. IT IS AN INFECTION WITH COMMON SYMPTOMS FROM WHICH MOST PEOPLE WILL RECOVER, AND WE SHOULD ALL TAKE PRECAUTIONS. WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DIRECT YOUR QUESTION, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANYBODY UP HERE, PLEASE CALL THEIR NAME OUT, SO THAT THEY CAN COME TO THE PODIUM BEFORE YOU ASK YOUR QUESTION. >> IF THE NCAA GOES AHEAD AND ALLOWS FANS IN THE STANDS, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THAT DECISION? MAYOR STOTHERT: YOU KNOW, I WOULD PROBABLY LIKE ROGER DIXON OR DIANE TO ADDRESS THAT, BECAUSE IT WOULD PROBABLY HAPPEN AT MECA. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT MY DECISION TO DO THIS, BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE COMMUNITY SPREAD. ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED IN OMAHA SO FAR HAVE CONTACTED THE VIRUS BY TRAVEL. THE ONE ISSUE WITH THE YOUNG WOMAN THAT WAS TRAVELING, OF COURSE HER FAMILY, HER FATHER AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE THE VIRUS NOW, BUT THEY WERE IN CLOSE QUARTERS AT HOME. AT OPEN EVENTS LIKE THAT, RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE NOT MADE ANY PLANS TO SHUT THEM DOWN. WE FEEL LIKE IF PEOPLE ARE ILL OR IF THEY HAVE ANY HESITATION ABOUT IT, THEY SHOULD NOT COME. THAT IS OUR POSITION RIGHT NOW. DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANY FEWER EVENTS AT MECA OR CHI? MR. DIXON: WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH THE NCAA. THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER. THEY ARE MONITORING THE SITUATION ACROSS THE CITY. AS OF THIS MORNING, WE PLAN ON GOING AHEAD WITH THE FIRST AND SECOND ROUND THAT WILL ARRIVE IN OUR CITY ON THE 20TH OF NEXT WEEK. SO, RIGHT NOW, IT IS ON. >> WHAT WOULD BE THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS IN FANS WERE NOT ALLOWED IN? HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST MECA? MR. DIXON: IT IS NOT JUST MECA, IT IS THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS THE THIRD LARGEST INDUSTRY IN THE STATE. IF FANS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN, THEY WILL NOT STAY IN HOTELS, THEY WILL NOT VISIT RESTAURANTS, IT WOULD BE A HUGE IMPACT. >> DO YOU HAVE INSURANCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? MR. DIXON: WE DO NOT? >> THEY HAVE A BIG CROWD, BUT YET MECA, THE NCAA WILL BE HERE, THERE ARE PARADES, ISN’T THAT A MIXED SIGNAL, STAY OUT OF CROWDS, YET WE HAVE THESE BIG EVENTS GOING ON? MAYOR STOTHERT: YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT THIS VIRUS. AS WITH THE COMMON FLU VIRUS THAT IS SPREAD BY DROPLET, BY CLOSE CONTACT, AND BY CONTAMINATED SURFACES, WE ALWAYS ART RECOMMENDING THAT PEOPLE TAKE PRECAUTIONS IF THEY ARE SICK OR ILL. THE THING OF IT IS, RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND A LOT ABOUT THE SPREAD EXCEPT IT IS SPREAD BY DROPLET AND CONTAMINATED SURFACES, SO THERE HAS BEEN VERY FEW CASES IN OMAHA SO FAR. WE FEEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE SMART. WE FEEL LIKE PEOPLE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE, AND PEOPLE WILL LISTEN TO ADVICE FROM THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. IF YOU ARE SICK, STAY AT HOME. USE COMMON SENSE IF YOU ARE OUT IN PUBLIC, LIKE YOUR MOM USED TO SAY, DO NOT TOUCH HER FACE, DO NOT TOUCH PEOPLE, DO NOT GET CLOSE. THESE ARE THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER RIGHT NOW. WITH THIS AND WITH ANY OTHER FLU OR COMMUNICABLE DISEASE. SO WE WILL ALWAYS, MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY, KEEP IN CONTACT WITH DOUGLAS COUNTY MUNICIPAL HEALTH, WITH HHS, THE CDC, AND WE WILL FOLLOW ANY RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY MAKE. BUT RIGHT NOW, BY DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH, AND THEY WOULD MAKE THAT DECISION, THERE ARE NO QUARANTINE ORDERS RIGHT NOW IN DOUGLAS COUNTY. THEY HAVE NOT MADE THAT DECISION OR RECOMMENDATION YET. ALL OF THESE QUARANTINED SO FAR ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SELF QUARANTINED THEMSELVES. >> MAYOR, IS THERE A THRESHOLD OR A NUMBER YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MAKES IT A COMMUNITY THREAT OR OUTBREAK? MAYOR STOTHERT: DR. POOR HAS TOLD ME RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO TRIGGER THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. CAROL, IF YOU WANT TO MENTION ANYTHING ELSE, OR IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT, I THINK RIGHT NOW WITH THE WAY WE ARE MONITORING THE SPREAD, THERE REALLY IS NO TRIGGER RIGHT NOW. WE ARE NOT SEEING A WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY SPREAD OF THE VIRUS. IF WE ARE SEEING AT ALL TRAVEL RELATED SO FAR. BUT THIS IS CHANGING, AND IT CHANGES EVERY DAY. IT IS KIND OF LIKE THE CDC IS SAYING, "THIS IS THE ADVICE OF THE DAY," BECAUSE IT CHANGES RAPIDLY, AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VIRUS AND MORE ABOUT THE RIGHT OF THIS -- SPREAD OF THIS. DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? MS. ALLENSWORTH: NO. [LAUGHTER] MAYOR STOTHERT: THAT IS MY OLD NURSE BACKGROUND RIGHT THERE. >> [INAUDIBLE] MAYOR STOTHERT: AGAIN, A LOT OF THAT IS NOT UNDER MY AUTHORITY. DOUGLAS, AGAIN, THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY IN THIS. AS WE SAID BEFORE, THE CITY CHARTER GIVES ME SOME AUTHORITY IN EXTREME CASES, BUT THE CITY CHARTER WAS BASICALLY WRITTEN LOOKING AT OR TALKING ABOUT NATURAL DISASTERS, LIKE A TORNADO, THAT WOULD HIT OMAHA RIGHT NOW THINGS THAT ARE UNDER MY CONTROL WOULD BE LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT RIGHT NOW, WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR MORE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SPREAD IN THIS COMMUNITY. >> WHAT ABOUT TEST KITS? ARE THERE ENOUGH? WHERE DO YOU GET THEM? WHERE DO YOU GO? MAYOR STOTHERT: THE AVAILABILITY OF KITS HAS BEEN SLOW IN THE BEGINNING. MORE AND MORE AVAILABILITY OF IT, ACCORDING TO THE MED CENTER, THAN THERE WAS IN THE BEGINNING. DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, CAROL, ABOUT THAT? DR. ALLENSWORTH: THE ONLY THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD RIGHT THERE IS WE AT THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IN THE COURSE OF OUR INVESTIGATION, HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM GETTING INDIVIDUALS TESTED. >> BUT WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND? I MEAN, 385 PHONE CALLS SINCE MONDAY. CAN YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF "I WANT TO GET TESTED, WHAT DO I DO?" DR. ALLENSWORTH: IT IS JUST LIKE I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER TODAY, OUR METRO AREA HEALTH CARE COALITION, THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THE MAJOR HEALTH SYSTEMS HERE. THEY HAVE BEEN MEETING TOGETHER. THEY HAVE BEEN PUTTING TOGETHER THINGS LIKE TRIAGE FORMS ON THEIR WEBSITE, YOU KNOW, COLIN TRIAGE FOR PEOPLE, AND THEY ARE ASKING -- CALL-IN TRIAGE FOR PEOPLE, AND THEY ARE ASKING, REALLY REALLY TAKING A LOOK AT INDIVIDUALS, AND DETERMINING WHETHER THEY ARE AT RISK FOR CORONAVIRUS, AND THEN PUTTING THEM INTO THIS SYSTEM FOR TESTING IF NEED BE. MAYOR STOTHERT: RIGHT. RIGHT NOW, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IF YOU FEEL ILL AND YOU HAVE A CONCERN, CALL YOUR OWN DOCTOR. CALLED HIM FROM HOME, TELL HIM YOUR SYMPTOMS. IT IS MOST LIKELY YOUR DOCTOR WILL TEST YOU FOR THE FLU FIRST, AND THAT IS A NASAL SWAB. IF THAT RESULT IS NEGATIVE, AND THOSE TESTS COME BACK WITHIN ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THEN IT COULD BE THAT YOUR DOCTOR RECOMMENDS YOU GET TESTED FOR CORONAVIRUS. THE THING WE WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR IS WE DO NOT WANT ANYBODY WITH THE SNIFFLES OR A COLD TO RUN INTO THE ER OR TO RUN INTO A PUBLIC SPACE. CALL YOUR OWN DOCTOR FIRST, UNTIL THAT CHANGES OR WE GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION. BUT DON’T EVERYBODY GO RUNNING INTO THE ER. >> DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH TEST KITS IF IT GETS TO THAT LEVEL? MAYOR STOTHERT: THE TEST KITS DO NOT COME FROM THE CITY OF OMAHA, BUT I AM IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH DR. GOLD, AND THEY SAID THEY WERE TESTING ABOUT 100 A DAY. THEY FELT LIKE VERY CONFIDENT BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, THEY COULD TEST THOUSANDS A DAY. IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW MANY KIDS THEY GET, THAT THEY FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL HAVE ENOUGH. THEY SAID THEY HAVE THE ABILITY, LIKE A WEEK AGO. BUT THEY ARE GETTING MORE. NEVER MEMBER, THE FIRST PATIENTS THAT WERE COMING OVER -- NOW REMEMBER, THE FIRST PATIENTS THAT WERE COMING OVER, THEY WERE SERUM TESTS. NOW THEY ARE THE SAME TASKS LIKE WITH THE FLU. >> [INAUDIBLE] MAYOR STOTHERT: A QUARANTINE ORDER WOULD COME FROM THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, NOT THE CITY OF OMAHA. >> HOW IS THAT ENFORCED? MAYOR STOTHERT: HOW IS THAT ENFORCED? CAROL? YOU JUST MIGHT AS WELL STAY HERE. [LAUGHTER] DR. ALLENSWORTH: YEAH. WE ARE NOT PUTTING OUT MANDATORY ORDERS OF QUARANTINE RIGHT NOW OR MANDATORY ORDERS -- IT IS OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS THAT WOULD ACTUALLY WORK WITH US ON ASSURING THAT A MANDATORY ORDER WOULD BE ENFORCED, BUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO USE THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE METHOD WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE, AND I AM TELLING YOU THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO ALONG WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, SO THAT IS KIND OF WHERE WE ARE SITTING RIGHT NOW. >> HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TESTED? DR. ALLENSWORTH: IN OMAHA OR IN DOUGLAS COUNTY? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE PROBABLY HAD ABOUT 30 THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED THROUGHOUT OUR INVESTIGATION, BUT THAT’S -- THERE’S MUCH MORE ACROSS THE CITY THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED, SO I DO NOT HAVE AN ACTUAL NUMBER FOR YOU AT THIS TIME. >> CAN YOU TELL US WHY THEY -- WAS THE PATIENT BUILD FOR THAT, OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? DR. ALLENSWORTH: AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IF IT GOES THROUGH THE NEBRASKA PUBLIC HEALTH LAB, THAT IS COVERED BY THE HEALTH FUNDS. NOW THAT MORE AND MORE TESTS ARE BECOMING AVAILABLE THROUGH OTHER SECTORS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH BIG LABORATORIES AND STUFF, IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THOSE TESTS AT THAT POINT IN TIME GO TO THEIR INSURANCE. >> HAVE THERE BEEN ANY VOLUNTARY QUARANTINES, SELF QUARANTINES OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN SUSPECTED -- DR. ALLENSWORTH: SAY THAT AGAIN? >> THERE IS NO GENERAL QUARANTINE -- DR. ALLENSWORTH: NO. >> THE ONLY QUARANTINE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN EXPOSED, THEY HAVE SELF QUARANTINED. DR. ALLENSWORTH: YES, SO THOSE WHO ARE SICK ARE SELF ISOLATED BECAUSE THEY HAVE SYMPTOMS. THOSE THAT WE KNOW THAT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED ARE SELF QUARANTINED. -- ONE PERSON OR TWO PEOPLE AFRAID TO TRAVEL -- IS THAT THE THRESHOLD? MAYOR STOTHERT NO, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THERE IS NO TRIGGER OR THRESHOLD RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, 1% OF OUR GENERAL POPULATION HERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE. I MEAN, YOU ARE TALKING 5000 SO, YOU KNOW, I DON’T THINK WE WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THERE ARE 5000 PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED AND INFECTED. THE THING OF IT IS THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, THOUGH, AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW THIS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO REPEAT, THAT WITH THE CDC SAYING THAT 97%, UP TO MAYBE 99% OF THE PEOPLE INFECTED WILL HAVE VERY MILD CASES, MUCH OF IT WILL BE UNTESTED AND UNDIAGNOSED, BECAUSE IT WILL BE SO MILD. THERE IS A SMALL PORTION THAT WILL BE MORE SERIOUS, AND THOSE ARE RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS, THAT THEY COULD GET PNEUMONIA, THAT COULD CAUSE IT TO BE MORE DEADLY. THEY STILL SAY THAT THE MORTALITY OF CORONAVIRUS IS STILL VERY LOW. IT IS ABOUT FIVE TIMES WHAT REGULAR FLOOR IS COME UP -- REGULAR FLU IS, BUT REGULAR FLU IS ABOUT .5% -- .1% FIDELITY, CORONAVIRUS IS .5%, SO THAT IS FIVE TIMES HIGHER, BUT IT IS VERY LOW. IT IS IMPORTANT BUT TO REASSURE PEOPLE, TOO. YOU ARE IN GOOD HANDS IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA. WITH THE EXPERTISE WE HAVE WITH DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH APARTMENT COME UP WITH YOU AND MC, WITH THE EXPERTS AT THE BIO CONTAINMENT LAB THAT WE HAVE THERE, WITH OUR UNIT THAT WE HAVE IN THE NEW IXL BUILDING, FOR WATCHING THE PATIENTS FOR A WHILE, FOR CONTAINING THEM, YOU COULD NOT HAVE BETTER PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT ARE NOT ONLY WANTING TO TREAT AND TAKE CARE OF THE PATIENTS THAT ARE INFECTED BUT ALSO TO TAKE CARE OF THE COMMUNITY. WHEN THE EBOLA PATIENTS CAME HERE, THEY WERE INFECTED, AND THEY WERE VERY, VERY ILL, AND THEY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AT UNMC, AND NO ONE IN THE COMMUNITY WAS AFFECTED. OUR OMAHA FIRE DEPARTMENT PRETTY MUCH WROTE THE BOOK AND HOW TO TRANSPORT PATIENTS WITH INFECTIOUS AND COMMUTABLE DISEASES, SO WE ARE VERY WELL PREPARED. THIS IS SOMETHING NEW. IT INVOLVES DIFFERENT EVERYDAY. AND EVERY BIT OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE GET, WE WANT TO UPDATE THE COMMUNITY WITH THAT INFORMATION AND KEEP YOU UPDATED. IT IS DYNAMIC. IT IS CHANGING. AS WE LEARN MORE AND AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VIRUS, SOME OF THESE PLANS CAN CHANGE, BUT I WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WE ARE WELL PREPARED, WE HAVE GOT ALL OF THESE EXPERTS WORKING ON THIS RIGHT NOW, AND FOR PEOPLE TO BE RESPONSIBLE BUT NOT PANIC ABOUT IT, BECAUSE MOST OF THE CASES WILL BE MILD. >> IF THERE’S ONE NUMBER THAT TRIGGERS THE FINAL DECISION, WHAT IS THE FINAL STRAW? MAYOR STOTHERT: AGAIN, THE DECISION, THE FINAL DECISION LIES WITH THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND WITH THE GOVERNOR, WITH THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, AND HHS. THAT IS WHERE THE ULTIMATE DECISION, THEY ARE WORKING WITH THE CDC, WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WITH THE EXPERTS, EPIDEMIOLOGY, INFECTIOUS DISEASE, THEY ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT IS, AND SO RIGHT NOW, OUR SPREAD IN OMAHA IS VERY LOW. WE HAVE VERY FEW PATIENTS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN DIAGNOSED, SO THERE IS NO REASON TO PANIC AT THIS TIME, BUT WHEN WE KNOW MORE ABOUT THE DISEASE AND WE CAN SEE HOW THE SPREAD IS -- WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH IT, HOW QUICK IT IS HAPPENING, I THINK THEN SOME OTHER DECISIONS, INCLUDING WHAT THAT TRIGGER IS, WILL BE DETERMINED. >> IF YOU CONTACTED HIM AND ASKED HIM A QUESTION THAT HE HAS CONSIDERED CANCELING SOME OF THESE EVENTS? MAYOR STOTHERT: I HAVE TALKED TO THE GOVERNOR MANY TIMES ABOUT AKAMAI HAVE TALKED TO DR. GOLD, THE CHANCELLOR AT UNMC, WE ARE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH, WE WANT TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH ALL OF THE SAME, CURRENT INFORMATION AND BE ABLE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS. NO, I HAVE NOT CALLED THE GOVERNMENT AND -- GOVERNOR AND ASKED HIM TO CANCEL, SHUTDOWN THE CITY. I DID NOTHING NOT THINK THAT IS WARRANTED YET. I THINK WHAT IS WARRANTED RIGHT NOW IS FOR PEOPLE TO BE CAREFUL AND RESPONSIBLE, AND THAT IS THE MESSAGE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. IF HE MAKES THAT DECISION, THEN IT WILL BE DISCUSSED. IT MAY COME OUT AS A RECOMMENDATION I DON’T KNOW, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE IT AT THIS TIME. >> THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHUTTING DOWN THE CITY AND HAVING THE ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE, ISN’T IT? MAYOR STOTHERT: AGAIN, THAT IS NOT MY CALL PURE WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THOSE WHO ARE ORGANIZING THE PARADE, CALLED THEM AS OF YESTERDAY MORNING. YESTERDAY MORNING, THEY SAID THE PARADE IS STILL ON. I COULD CHANGE NEXT HOUR. WE JUST HAVE TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, LET THIS PLAY OUT A LITTLE BIT BUT BE VERY, VERY CAUTIOUS WHILE WE MOVE FORWARD. >> WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THE STATUS THAT WAS GIVEN BY UNMC YESTERDAY? THE NUMBERS, THE POSSIBILITIES TO PREPARE FOR 480,000 DEATHS. DID YOU SEE THAT REPORT THEY PUT OUT TO LAWMAKERS? MAYOR STOTHERT: NO, I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING LIKE THAT. >> YEAH, THEY PUT OUT A REPORT, 96 MILLION CASES IN THE U.S., OF THOSE, 1.9 MILLION COULD REQUIRE ADMISSION TO INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, MANY OF THOSE WOULD BE ELDERLY, AND 480,000 DEATHS IF NO ONE -- MAYOR STOTHERT: AGAIN, KEEP IN MIND MORE PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM THE COMMON FLU THAN FROM CORONAVIRUS. THE PREDICTION I’VE READ JUST RECENTLY FROM THE CDC SAID THAT THEY THINK APPROXIMATELY 30% OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY MIGHT GET INFECTED WITH THAT DISEASE, BUT THEY THINK 98% WILL BE MILD AND UNDIAGNOSED. AND ONLY THAT .5% MORTALITY, SO THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD. SO I DO NOT KNOW ABOUT YOUR FIGURES OR WHERE YOU GOT THEM OR WHERE THEY CAME FROM. I DON’T KNOW. I DID NOT KNOW THEIR LAWMAKERS WERE EXPERTS ON THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS. OK. ALL RIGHT. I DON’T KNOW. MMHMM. SURE. CHIEF SCHMADERER: OFFICERS -- >> YOUR OFFICERS WIND UP AT A VARIETY OF EVENTS. CHIEF SCHMADERER: GOOD MORNING, JOE, FIRST OF ALL. WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH, THE COVID-19, PART OF THIS IS A PROGRESSION, JOE. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE NOT AT THE POINT WHERE WE WANT TO PANIC EVERYBODY. THE QUESTION IS -- DO WE MONITOR? DOES IT CONTINUE TO GROW AND SPREAD? IF IT DOES, THEN WE MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY. AS CHIEF OF POLICE, WE ARE PREPARED TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS IF THE COVID-19 VIRUS CONTINUES TO SPREAD. SO THE PLANNING PHASE HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR MONTHS. IT CONTINUES AS AN ONGOING DECISION BASIS, SO MANY OF THE QUESTIONS ARE CAUGHT UP IN THAT PROGRESSION. LET ME GO BACK TO YOUR QUESTION -- WHEN DO THEY DON EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT? IT DEPENDS ON THE LEVEL OF EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED. IF THEY ARE ARRESTING SOMEONE, THEY PROBABLY WILL HAVE GLOVES ON. IF THEY ARE TRANSPORTING OR COME INTO CONTACT WITH SOMETHING OR HAS INFORMATION FROM 91 THAT THE PERSON IS COUGHING OR HACKING OR SOMETHING FROM THAT NATURE, BECAUSE 911 IS PREPARED TO GIVE THOSE WARNINGS TO US, THEY WILL PUT MASKS ON, THEY WILL PUT GLOVES ON, THEY WILL TAKE PRECAUTIONS. IT IS CASE-BY-CASE RIGHT NOW AS THEY WATCH THE PROGRESSION AND SEE HOW IT GOES. AS FAR AS THE PANNING PHASE GOES, FOR ALL OF THE LEADERS IN YOUR TODAY, WE PLAN NOT ONLY FOR TODAY BUT PLAN FOR WORST-CASE IN AREAS AS WELL. THAT IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING US TO DO. WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR THE WORST CASE SCENARIO. WE ARE IN THE VERY EMBRYONIC STAGE, I WOULD SAY, AND WE WILL MONITOR A DAILY. LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL ADJUST OUR PROCEDURES AND TACTICS ALONG THE WAY ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS BUT ALSO ON A PROGRESSION BASIS. >> IF THERE IS SOMEONE IN CUSTODY WERE GOING TO DO, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FACILITIES DO TO GET TESTED? CHIEF SCHMADERER: OUR CORRECTIONS DIRECTOR IS HERE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THAT, MR. MYERS? MR. MYERS: I AM MIKE MAYERS, THE DIRECTOR OF CORRECTIONS FOR DOUGLAS COUNTY. WE ARE CONTINUING TO PRACTICE WE HAD WHEN WE HAD THE INFLUENZA OUTBREAK IN THE JAIL LAST DECEMBER. ALL INMATES ARE HAVING THEIR TEMPERATURES CHECKED IN THE PRE-BROKE AREA. -- PRE-BOOK AREA. IF WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT DOES HAVE A FEVER THAT CROSSES THE THRESHOLD AND HAS ADDITIONAL SYMPTOMS, CONSISTENT WITH THE CORONAVIRUS, WE WILL THEN HAVE AN IMMEDIATE CALL TO THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO GET WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL. WE WILL ATTEMPT TO, IF THE INDIVIDUAL IS COOPERATIVE, WE WILL PLACE THE INDIVIDUAL IN A MASK. WE WILL OFFER, IF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR OTHER ARRESTING AGENCY IS NOT ALREADY WEARING THEIR PROTECTIVE GEAR, WE WILL OFFER THAT TO THEM IMMEDIATELY AS WELL. >> THEY WOULD BE WEARING MASKS GOING TO COURT? MR. MYERS: IF THEY WERE -- THERE ARE A LOT OF OPEN QUESTIONS ABOUT COURT TRANSPORTS AND SO FORTH, IF WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED CASES. THERE ARE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PARTNERS COME UP WITH THE PRESIDING JUDGES, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER AND CITY PROSECUTOR. WE ARE WORKING OUT THOSE DETAILS THIS WEEK, ACTUALLY. >> WE HAVE ALL SEEN HOW YOUR FIRST RESPONDERS WERE ATTENTIVE WITH THE EBOLA SITUATION. IS THAT EXACTLY HOW IT IS WITH COVID-19, DO THEY LOOK THE SAME, HAVE THE SAME OUTFITS? HOW THEY WERE PROTECTED, IS THAT THE SAME FOR COVID-19? CHIEF OLSEN: GOOD MORNING, MICHELLE. I EXPLAINED THAT IN MY OPENING. WE ARE FOLLOWING CDC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LOW RISK PATIENTS, I MENTIONED WE ARE WEARING GLOVES, GOGGLES, AND MASKS. FOR HIGH-RISK PATIENTS, WE ARE WEARING GLOVES, GOGGLES, MASKS, AND GOWNS. >> SO WE HAVE SEEN THAT WITH EBOLA, IS THAT HOW THEY WILL LOOK? CHIEF OLSEN: YES. CAN KEEP IN MIND, WE WEAR THAT PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT EVERY DAY IN THE FIELD, AND WE HAVE LONG-STANDING PART PROTOCOLS AND -- LONG-STANDING PROTOCOLS AND POLICIES, THEY ARE USED TO DONNING THAT EQUIPMENT, WE HAVE THAT IN OUR CACHE OF EQUIPMENT, WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED THAT EQUIPMENT AND CONTINUE TO DO THAT. IT IS REALLY ONE OF OUR ROUTINE PRACTICES. >> WHEN FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE SYMPTOMS, DO THEY GET TESTED? CHIEF OLSEN: ACTUALLY, WE DID HAVE ONE FIREFIGHTER THAT DID GET TESTED FOR COVID-19, AND THE TEST CAME BACK NEGATIVE. KEEP IN MIND, THAT FIREFIGHTER WAS WEARING THAT APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, SO IT DID ITS JOB IN THAT CASE. >> WHO DID HE COME IN CONTACT WITH? CHIEF OLSEN: HE IS ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO TRANSPORTED A PATIENT FROM THE AIRPORT, AND ONCE AGAIN, WHEN WE WEAR THE APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF PROTECTION, OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE SAFE. THE CDC IS TELLING US THAT IF WE FOLLOW THEIR DIRECTION AND OUR LONG-STANDING POLICY AND PROTOCOL, THAT THE RISK TO THE FIREFIGHTERS THEMSELVES AT THE SCENE OF AN EMERGENCY IS LOW. >> THE THRESHOLD AT 1% IN THE REGION, [INAUDIBLE] DR. ALLENSWORTH: I THINK THE BEST THING TO SAY IS THERE ARE NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS GOING ON ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO TRICKLE THE SHUT DOWN, A NUMBER OF THINGS. I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT DR. POUR IS IN PLACE WITH HIS CONTACTS, WITH THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS, SO THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT EFFORT, AND I THINK I CAN SAFELY SAY THAT ANY SHUTDOWN AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MIGHT RECOMMEND WOULD NOT BE DONE IN A VACUUM. WE WOULD DO THAT IN ORDINATION WITH OUR PARTNERS. >> ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT A COMMUNITY OR A REGION WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY SPREAD? DR. ALLENSWORTH: YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE CALLING A REGION, MAY BE, THE OMAHA METRO AREA, WE ARE NOT REALLY USING A DEFINITION SUCH AS THAT. WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY AND SEEING IF WE ARE SEEING COMMUNITY SPREAD ONGOING THAT IS NOT RELATED TO A KNOWN RISK. MAYOR STOTHERT: KEEP IN MIND, TWOO, WITH FLU, EVERY YEAR WE HAVE FLU SEASON, WE KNOW THAT, AND IT RAMPS UP, AND NORMALLY IN THE WARMER WEATHER AND IN THE SUMMER, WE SEE LESS AND LESS CASES, THEN IT RAMPS UP AGAIN. IT COULD HAPPEN THE SAME WITH CORONA -- WITH THIS COVID-19. CURRENTLY, THE UNMC IS DOING CLINICAL TRIALS WITH AN ANTIVIRAL DRUG. RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO ANTIVIRAL DRUG ON THE MARKET THAT WE HAVE THAT WORKS AGAINST COVID-19, BUT THEY ARE DOING CLINICAL TRIALS AT THE MED CENTER RIGHT NOW. TYPICALLY TO DEVELOP A VACCINE THAT CAN BE USE, LIKE WE HAVE A FLU VACCINE NOW, TELLS ABOUT -- TAKES ABOUT 12 TO 18 MONTHS, TYPICALLY. THEY ARE RECOMMENDING CDC THAT IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A REGULAR FLU SHOT TO GO AHEAD AND GET IT, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT SEEM EFFECTIVE ON COVID-19, IT PERHAPS COULD MAKE, IF YOU CONTRACT THE VIRUS, LESS SEVERE, SO THEY ARE RECOMMENDING THAT PEOPLE STILL GO OUT, IF YOU HAVE NOT, AND GO OUT AND GET THE TRADITIONAL FLU SHOT THAT ARE OUT ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW. >> DR. ALLENSWORTH -- THE SCHOOLS COULD CLOSE WITHOUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S SAY, RIGHT? MS. ALLENSWORTH: YES. I THINK ALL OF THE SCHOOLS, THEY WANT TO HAVE A CONSISTENT MESSAGE, AND THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. MAYOR STOTHERT: AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, I AM IN CONTACT WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS. I TALKED WITH DR. LOGAN JUST THIS MORNING. OPS IS ON SPRING BREAK RIGHT NOW. THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF WHAT THEY WILL DO NEXT OR IF THEY WOULD CANCEL SCHOOL, SAY, FOR ANOTHER WEEK. WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH THEM, AND IT IS SO DYNAMIC AND EVOLVING AND IT CHANGES EVERY DAY. LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT IS KIND OF LIKE THE ADVICE OF THE DAY. IT COULD CHANGE TOMORROW AND BE DIFFERENT. >> -- BASING THAT DECISION -- MAYOR STOTHERT: IT COULD BE AS EARLY AS TODAY. >> WHEN DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO CALL THE HOTLINE OR CALLED THE DOCTOR? DO YOU CALL YOUR DOCTOR, OR DO YOU CALL THE HOTLINE? MS. ALLENSWORTH: THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT INFORMATION LINE FOR CORONAVIRUS IS MEANT FOR GENERAL PUBLIC QUESTIONS. IT IS NOT MEANT FOR ACCESSING CARE. THE HOTLINES AND THE TRIAGE LINES THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED BY OUR HEALTH CARE COALITION PARTNERS, BY THE HEALTH SYSTEMS, THOSE ARE THE ONES, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO CALL THE DOCTOR IF YOU THINK YOU ARE SICK OR HAVE BEEN EXPOSED. THEY WILL DIRECT YOU TO ONE OF THE HOTLINES, DIRECTED TO THE TRIAGE LINE, BUT YOU SHOULD BE CALLING HEALTH CARE IF YOU NEED THE HEALTH. IF YOU WANT INFORMATION ABOUT CORONAVIRUS, GENERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION, THEN THAT CAN GO TO THE 402-444-3400 CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION LINE. YOU SHOULD BE ACCESSING MEDICAL CARE IF YOU ARE SICK. MAYOR STOTHERT: AND LIKE MIKE MUNICATION DIRECTOR SAID EARLIER, THAT WE WILL HAVE A NEW -- LIKE MY COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR SAID EARLIER, THAT WE WILL HAVE A NEW HOMEPAGE, THAT WE WILL UPDATE CONTINUOUSLY WITH ANY INFORMATION THAT WE GET IT ALSO CONTACT INFORMATION AND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. >> MR. DIXON? WHEN AND HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO HEAR FROM THE NCAA WHETHER THE TOURNAMENT WL BE A GO AHEAD? MR. DIXON: ANY MINUTE. IT COULD GO OFF WHERE WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING, BECAUSE CONFERENCE PLAY STARTS, AND THEY GET THROUGH THE CONFERENCE WITH NO ISSUES, IT IS JUST ANYBODY’S GUESS. >> DO YOU KNOW IF IT IS GOING, YOU KNOW,, YOU KNOW, -- IF IT IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, UP TO THE FANS TO DECIDE OR UP TO THE NCAA? MR. DIXON: WELL, IF THEY ARE GOING TO DO WITH FANS, IT WILL BE WITH FANS. >> WILL THAT BE WITH ALL SITES WITH ALL FANS, OR WILL IT BE SITE BY SITE? MR. DIXON: I CAN’T ANSWER THAT ONE. I KNOW THAT DIVISION III BASKETBALL STARTED WITH NO FANS, BUT AS OF THIS MORNING, ALL FIRST AND SECOND AND DIVISION I PLAY WILL BE WITH FANS. I HAVE HEARD NOTHING OTHER THAN THAT. >> HAVE YOU HEARD OF ANY MEETINGS HAVE BEEN CANCELED, ANY NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE VIRUS? MR. DIXON: ON THE NEGOTIATING SIDE, NO. WE HAVE GOT SEVEN CONVENTIONS THAT WE ARE IN DISCUSSION WITH THAT ARE EITHER MOVING OR TALKING ABOUT CANCELING. WE HAVE HAD ONE MEETING CANCELED, OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAVE HAD THE BASEBALL WITH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT, THEY CANCEL BECAUSE OF THE REGULATIONS ON TRAVELING, SO CREIGHTON WILL BE DOWN THREE GAMES FOR THIS WEEKEND, AND LESS THEY CAN FIND SOMEBODY ELSE TO COME IN AND PLAY, WHICH THAT COULD HAPPEN. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL PLANS FOR ANY UPCOMING EVENTS? MR. DIXON: WELL, THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF SUBTLE CHANGES THAT YOU WILL SEE, HOW WE SERVE CONCESSION ITEMS, HOW, YOU KNOW, THE WORKERS BEING WITH GLOVES ON, COMING IN THE FACILITY, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL GO THROUGH THE METAL THE SECTORS. IF THERE IS A SEARCH OF THAT PERSON, IT WILL BE WITH GLOVES ON. CLEANING IS STEPPED UP DRAMATICALLY. IT WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. MAYOR STOTHERT: I WILL JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT MONDAY NIGHT, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM WARREN BUFFETT, AND, YOU KNOW, HE SAID THAT HE IS A VERY RESPONSIBLE PERSON, AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PRIORITY FOR HIM, BUT WITH BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY COMING THE FIRST OF MAY, HIS PREFERENCE IS TO WAIT A MONTH OUT, WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST OF APRIL, EVALUATE, SEE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AT THAT TIME, AND THEN MAKE A DECISION THAN. -- THEN. SO EVERYBODY IS CONCERNED. EVERYBODY THAT IS INVOLVED WITH A PUBLIC EVENT IS CONCERNED, BUT I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE POSITION -- LET’S WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. LET’S WAIT AND SEE WHAT ELSE WE FIND OUT ABOUT THE SPREAD, AND LET’S MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS. >> MAYOR, -- IF THEY DON’T COME TO THESE EVENTS, EVEN IF THEY GO ON -- MAYOR STOTHERT: THERE IS NO DOUBT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON THE CITY COULD BE HUGE, I MEAN, REALLY HUGE, AND IT COULD CHANGE THE WAY THE CITY OF OMAHA DOES BUSINESS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE BIG EVENTS BRING MULTIPLE OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THE CITY EVERY YEAR. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE YOUR AND ALL THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR THIS -- HAVE HERE AND ALL THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR THIS SUMMER. IT COULD HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE CITY, AND WE KNOW THAT, IF EVERYTHING IS SHUT DOWN. DEPENDS ON THE PERIOD OF TIME ALSO IT IS SHUT DOWN. IF THINGS ARE RECOMMENDED TO BE SHUTDOWN FOR TWO WEEKS OR A MONTH, WE JUST DON’T KNOW, BUT ALL OF THAT WILL PLAY INTO WHAT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT WOULD BE. BUT IF WE START SHUTTING DOWN MAJOR EVENTS, HOTELS, PUBLIC EVENTS, AND PUBLIC SPACES, THINGS LIKE THAT, IT COULD DEFINITELY -- IT DEFINITELY WOULD, NOT COULD, IT WOULD HAVE A HUGE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON THE CITY, AND WE KNOW THAT. >> -- WHAT CAN IT DO, AND WHY? MAYOR STOTHERT: HERE WE GO AGAIN. [LAUGHTER] I AM GLAD YOU ARE HERE TODAY. MS. ALLENSWORTH: YES, WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED UNIFIED COMMAND, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH PAUL JOHNSON, WHO IS OUR DOUGLAS COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER, BUT WHEN WE PULL IN UNIFIED COMMAND IN A DISEASE SITUATION, THE HEALTH DIRECTOR IS GENERALLY THE CHAIR OF THAT, AND WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE HAVE CITY AND COUNTY PARTNERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS RESPONSE SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT ALL PIECES OF THE RESPONSE ARE COORDINATED AND ADDRESSED, SO IT WOULD INCLUDE LAW ENFORCEMENT, IT INCLUDES FIRE, IT INCLUDES EMS, IT INCLUDES PIO REPRESENTATION FROM BOTH CITY AND COUNTY AND ALSO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. IT INCLUDES DOUGLAS COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. WE EVEN HAVE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY ON THAT PARTICULAR UNIFIED COMMAND. AND PAUL, ARE YOU HERE, AM I MISSING ANYBODY? AM I MISSING ANYBODY? THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY. I WILL LET YOU TALK. MR. JOHNSON: PAUL JOHNSON, DIRECTOR OF THE DOUGLAS COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY. THE DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND THE OMAHA AIRPORT AUTHORITY, AND THEY ATTENDED THE MEETINGS YESTERDAY, AND IT WAS EXTENSIVE, AND THE INITIAL PRACTICE OF THE UNIFIED COMMAND IS TO ESTABLISH CONTINUITY AND UNIFORMITY IN THE RESPONSE, AND WE ARE ACTUALLY CHAIRED BY ADI POUR WITH THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND WE STAND READY TO ACT AS THIS THING PROGRESSES. >> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE AIRPORT? MR. JOHNSON: I SHOULD PROBABLY LET THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY SPEAK ON BEHALF OF HERE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WAS SHARED. THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED COMMON PRACTICES THAT THEY WILL UTILIZE THEY ARE AT THE AIRPORT, AND I THINK THE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS WERE ON BOARD WITH THAT. IT FELT CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD. >> WHAT COMMON PRACTICES? MR. JOHNSON: COMMON PRACTICES, WHEN THE AIRLINE, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT COMES IN, IF THEY HAVE A PASSENGER ON THE AIRPLANE THAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, THEY HAVE PRACTICES THAT THEY WILL UTILIZE. MAYOR STOTHERT: OK, I AM NOT SICK, THAT COUGHING FIT, I CHOKED ON MY OWN SPIT I THINK FOR A MINUTE. [LAUGHTER] >> THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY. MAYOR STOTHERT: WRONG TIME FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. >> WE ARE ALL SIX FEET AWAY PURE WE ARE OK. [LAUGHTER] MAYOR STOTHERT:MAYOR STOTHERT: KEEP IN MIND WITH THE UNIFORM COMMAND, THIS IS NEW TERRITORY THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THAT COMMAND -- UNIFORM COMMAND WAS A SIMPLE COMMIT WAS BECAUSE OF A FLOOD, A TORNADO, A BAD STORM. THE THREAT OF A PANDEMIC IS SOMETHING WE REALLY HAVE NOT DEALT WITH THAT MUCH. AGAIN, IT IS EVER-CHANGING, IT IS VERY DYNAMIC, BUT WE DO HAVE EXPERTS THAT ARE ALL INVOLVED IN GETTING CURRENT, ACCURATE INFORMATION MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AND WE WILL ADJUST AS NEEDED. I KNOW IT IS GETTING HOT IN HERE. WE WILL TAKE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS. >> APPARENTLY YOU DON’T HAVE ANY. [LAUGHTER] MAYOR STOTHERT: THAT IS A SURPRISE. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. JOHN: WELL, WE ARE WORKING TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19. CHECK KETV.COM AND THE KETV MOBILE APP FOR THE LATEST NEWS AND LINKS TO