‘Cautiously Optimistic’: Michigan Official Cites Flattening Curve In Some Areas; Rhode Island Expects To Begin Easing Restrictions In Two Weeks

Detroit Free Press: Michigan's Curve Is Flattening, But ICUs Still Maxed Out, Official Says
Michigan's top doctor said that while the state's coronavirus curve is flattening,  some parts of the state are still seeing too many deaths, others are seeing a rise in cases and some intensive care units are still at capacity. That means Michigan's  economy needs to open up slowly, not all at once, said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun the state’s chief deputy for health, stressing social distancing remains key to beating this virus. (Baldas, 4/28)

Detroit Free Press: Mayor Duggan Announces New $8 Million Fund To Help Detroiters Pay Bills
Deaths are declining and aid for struggling  Detroiters is increasing, Mayor Mike Duggan announced Monday. "We are trending down," the mayor said during his daily briefing. Duggan said 127 Detroiters died between April 19 and April 25, the lowest one-week toll since the coronavirus began killing Detroiters in March. The highest weekly toll was 246, between April 5 and April 11.  (Elrick, 4/27)

Boston Globe: R.I. Will Ease Business And Social Limits In Three Phases Starting May 9 
In less than two weeks, Rhode Islanders may be able to gather in slightly larger numbers, have access to restaurant dine-in seating, have a few more options for child care, be able to visit some parks and beaches, and even go to the dentist. They’re all part of Phase One of the state’s new plan to start easing restrictions on some businesses and social gatherings on Saturday, May 9 announced Monday by Governor Gina M. Raimondo. (Fitzpatrick, 4/27)

The New York Times: Rhode Island Pushes Aggressive Testing, A Move That Could Ease Reopening
Rhode Island gives the appearance of a state where the coronavirus is a fire raging, the average number of daily infections more than quadrupling since the start of this month. The reality is more complicated and encouraging, as state health workers have tested more residents per capita in Rhode Island than in any other state, leading them to discover many infections that might have gone overlooked elsewhere. (Powell, 4/28)

State House News Service: COVID-19 Reporting Hiccup Due To Lab’s Computer Changeover 
The laboratory reporting error that created a hiccup in COVID-19 data in Massachusetts at the end of last week was the result of a computer system changeover that delayed when test results were sent to some states but there was no delay getting results to patients, the company said. The Department of Public Health's daily coronavirus data update was delayed a couple of hours Friday "due to a national laboratory reporting issue" and when the numbers were released, they came with a significant disclaimer from DPH that it had received a backlog of almost 10,000 test results from Quest that week. (Young, 4/27)

Boston Globe: Researchers Say Mass. Ranks High In Social Distancing
Massachusetts residents have done a relatively good job in social distancing, according to a ranking by researchers from the University of Maryland. The researchers say Massachusetts has consistently been near the top of its class in their social distancing index, a measure where 0 means there is no social distancing and 100 means everybody is staying at home and no visitors are entering their counties. (Finucane, 4/27)

San Francisco Chronicle: Alone Among State’s Public Colleges, Cal Maritime Academy Plans In-Person Classes 
Every public college in California plans to continue remote learning at least through the summer session to stem the coronavirus outbreak, except one. The Cal Maritime Academy in Vallejo could start face-to-face classes in late May.In addition, the small campus nestled up against the Carquinez Bridge hopes to continue its annual summer training cruise, sending about 350 students and staff on a 62-day trip despite a 100-day ban on commercial cruises issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The trip, part of a graduation requirement for cadets, could leave as soon as June despite virus outbreaks aboard cruise ships and naval vessels making international headlines. (Gafni, 4/27)

Indianapolis Star: Indiana Tries To Increase Coronavirus Testing But Some Supplies Scarce
Many of the scenarios for easing the societal restrictions coronavirus has imposed hinge on greatly increasing testing for the virus. But up until now, testing has been limited to those at greatest risk. That could soon change. Last week, State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box opened the door to expanding testing, recommending that anyone with symptoms be tested. (Rudavsky, 4/28)

Indianapolis Star: Coronavirus In Indiana: Elective Procedures Can Resume
An executive order allowing hospitals, veterinarians, dentists and other health care providers to resume elective or non-emergency medical procedures has gone into effect. Gov. Eric Holcomb on Friday signed Executive Order 20-24 allowing these facilities to reopen for elective procedures starting 11:59 p.m. Sunday as long as they have sufficient quantities of personal protective equipment, or PPE. (Mack, 4/27)

Burlington Free Press: Coronavirus In Vermont: How People With HIV Have Been Affected
Individuals with HIV face a greater threat of incurring flu-related complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.In a similar vein, people with "poorly controlled HIV or AIDS" could be more susceptible to illness stemming from COVID-19, the official name of the disease related to the coronavirus that first started to affect people at the end of 2019, though the agency indicated a lack of information about people living with HIV and risk of the disease. (Syed, 4/27)

Bangor Daily News: Another Mainer Dies As 8 More Coronavirus Cases Are Confirmed 
There have now been 1,023 confirmed coronavirus cases across all of Maine’s counties, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s up from 1,015 on Sunday. The statewide death toll stands at 51. The latest death involved a man in his 70s from Kennebec County. (Burns, 4/27)

Bangor Daily News: Maine Taps International Consultant Deloitte To Revamp Application For State Benefits 
The state is looking to update My Maine Connection — the platform people use to apply for MaineCare, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program — to make it more user-friendly. The upgrades will include allowing applicants to upload documents into the system and the ability to check on the status of their applications, according to DHHS spokesperson Jackie Farwell. The portal would also allow people to apply for Affordable Care Act health insurance plans when Maine’s state-based marketplace goes online. (Andrews, 4/27)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Atlanta Child Care Providers Can Apply For Emergency Pandemic Grants
A new grant program will help Atlanta child care providers who serve low-income families stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic. The program will award grants of up to $20,000 to eligible applicants to pay for basic expenses and other costs as they struggle with declining revenues.  (McCray, 4/27)

Houston Chronicle: Turner Resists Push For Paid Sick Leave Ordinance In Houston During Coronavirus Pandemic 
The coronavirus outbreak is sparking a debate over paid sick leave in Houston, the largest U.S. city without a law requiring businesses to provide paid time off for workers who fall ill. Labor leaders say the COVID-19 pandemic has bolstered their argument for a paid leave mandate, arguing such a policy would slow community spread of the disease here. (Scherer, 4/27)

Houston Chronicle: Stung By Oil Crash, Houston-Area Chemical-Makers Battle COVID-19 And Tough Times 
Gulf Coast chemical companies, including those slowed by the oil crash, are responding to the humanitarian needs of the global COVID-19 pandemic and keeping plants running. The companies are boosting production of the chemicals used in the manufacturing of personal protective equipment used by medical personnel, increasing global production of chemicals used to make hand sanitizer — in some cases manufacturing the product themselves — as well as lending expertise and materials for PPE manufacturing. (Magill, 4/27)