U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, today announced that federal aid is on the way to hospitals here and throughout the nation.
He made the announcement at a virtual news conference held today by the University of Kansas Health System.
The first segment of the $100 billion in the CARES Act becomes available today to meet the needs of health care providers, he said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, revenues have declined for most health care providers, while costs have gone up significantly, he said.
According to Sen. Moran, $325 million in federal relief will be going to Kansas health care providers and hospitals.
“In the fight against COVID-19, these new resources will put our health care providers in a better position to keep us healthy and meet the needs of Kansans,” Sen. Moran stated.
According to a Health and Human Services news release, there is an initial $30 billion in immediate relief funds that will start being delivered to providers today. The funds will be used to support health care-related expenses or lost revenue from the coronavirus pandemic, and also for testing and treatment for uninsured Americans, according to HHS.
Also today, Sen. Moran said he was working on trying to get more personal protective equipment for health care workers and first responders.
Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System said they believed it was important, for now and the future, natinoally to work on the testing and the vaccines at the same time.
Doctors urged people to observe social distancing and not gather this weekend for the holidays. The coronavirus could spread in high amounts if they do, said Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection control at KU Health System.
The next 10 days to two weeks will be crucial in knowing where they stand, he said.
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at KU Health System, urged people to avoid social gatherings, shelter in place and don’t go out. Otherwise the COVID-19 rate could go in the wrong direction, he said.
According to the doctors, some persons are contagious while not showing any symptoms, and that is why gatherings should be avoided.
The news conference on Friday morning also included a music video at the end, written by Ethan and Charlie Gunn about being safe and enjoying life while sheltering in place. Jamie Gunn, their mother, is a pediatric ICU nurse at KU Health System.
To view the KU Health System news conference, visit https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/3195600903804438/?tn=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARCUq02w9VxkefN60TAKhxZQ4BtGsQcIdfoDrSylskiJHk5yDh4d5ceGaxCNIYUEbU9RFUM8u6lvy0le