August 14 Biweekly Round-Up: NEC Members Contribute to COVID-19 Crisis Response

As our region and our nation continue to grapple with the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, The New England Council is using our blog as a platform to highlight some of the incredible work our members have undertaken to respond to the outbreak. Twice weekly, we’ll post a round-up of updates on some of the initiatives underway among Council members throughout the region. We are also sharing these updates via our social media, and encourage our members to share with us any information on their efforts so that we can be sure to include them in these twice weekly round-ups.

You can find all the Council’s information and resources related to the crisis in the special COVID-19 section of our website. This includes our COVID-19 Virtual Events Calendar, which provides information on upcoming COVID-19 Congressional town halls and webinars presented by NEC members, as well as our Federal Agency COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses page.

Here is today’s (August 14, 2020) roundup:

Medical Response

Harvard Medical School Researchers Uncover Why COVID-19 Causes Loss of Smell – Researchers at Harvard Medical School have found the olfactory cell types most vulnerable to COVID-19, which when infected results in loss of smell. The researchers’ findings inform efforts to better understand the nature of the disease. Read more here.

Economic/Business Continuity Response

American Airlines Releases New Mask Guidelines for Passengers – Effective August 19, American Airlines will no longer allow masks with vents or valves on flights. American Airlines noted that the guidelines are in line with the newest information from the CDC as the company works to protect travelers. Read more here.

Community Response

Commonwealth Care Alliance Provides Temporary Housing and Addiction Services to COVID-19 positive Individuals – The Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) has partnered with local government and state government to utilize unoccupied hotels as low-density housing and recovery spaces for unhoused members of the Boston community who have tested positive for COVID-19. The CCA also helped patients find access to long-term housing and addiction services. Read more here.

Stay tuned for more updates each day, and follow us on Twitter for more frequent updates on how Council members are contributing to the response to this global health crisis.

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August 14 Biweekly Round-Up: NEC Members Contribute to COVID-19 Crisis Response

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