The FDA has issued an emergency useauthorization for the antiviral drug remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19 patients hospitalized with the virus. This authorization allows for remdesivir to be distributed to health care providers across the country and administered as appropriate to treat COVID-19 patients. More information from the FDA available here.
The FDA’s authorization of remdesivir is product of its Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program, which is currently speeding the testing of 72 different therapeutic agents in active trials and another 211 treatments in the development phase. Learn more about the effort here.
Important information for our fire departments: The application period is now open for an additional $100 million of Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program funds. COVID-19 legislation approved by Congress provides this financial assistance directly to eligible fire departments, non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations, and state fire training academies for critical personal protective equipment and supplies needed to respond to COVID-19. The application period closes at 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 15. For more information, fire departments should visit the FEMA website.
For Johnston County residents: here is the latest update from the county on the status of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The CDC has issued updated guidance for the discontinuance of home islolation for individuals that have recovered from their COVID-19 infection. View it here.
For today’s good news story, I’m highlighting Wilmington artist Bradley Carter, who has been staging scenes from the movie Toy Story with figurines from the movie on his roof to the delight of kids in his neighborhood. Read more about it here. As Carter says, “the best way to smile is to make someone else smile,”
